Missing In Action
by Saronicle
Summary: Brutaka sends another group of humans to his realm, deserting them on a new island. The Marines make an unlikely ally in their fight against the island's monsters, but the longer they stay, the more they realize what dangers they face when they leave.
1. Foreign Exchange

"Mayday! Mayday! Can anybody read me?" yelled the pilot as the damaged Osprey descended. The squadron of troops was tense as the pilot got no response and sent out another call.

"What's going on?!" Scott yelled over the sound of the damaged propellers.  
"Does it look like I know?!" replied Sergeant Turner.  
He stood at the tail end of the Osprey and looked outside the opening. Where he had just seen the sun and dessert, he now saw rain and darkness. Suddenly the plane began to experience turbulence and shook violently. The sergeant flailed his arms as he tried to regain balance. Scott reached out to grab him, but his leader leaned too far and fell out.  
"No!" Scott cried.  
If the fact that they were going to crash didn't scare the men on board, the loss of their leader did. Some of the marines were beginning to be overwhelmed by fear, while others latched themselves to whatever secure object they could find.  
"Brace yourselves!" screamed the pilot.  
Everyone screamed as the half plane shook violently. Twigs and branches could be heard breaking apart from the outside. The aircraft came to a sudden stop and the last thing Scott saw was everyone and everything being thrown out of place.

"Scott. Scott wake up!" Sam yelled. She slapped his face hard and only got a moan out of him.  
It was the sound of thunder rolling over that got him to wake in a jolt. Dazed and confused, he looked around. Three of his men were attempting to put out a fire engulfing the left propeller, while others were evacuating the injured and taking any supplies out they could get.  
"What just happened?" he asked, not yet grasping it all.  
"What do you think?"  
He turned over to see Josh getting a patch on his arm. "We got shot down."  
Scott rolled his eyes. "Thanks," he said in a sarcastic manner.  
Sam pulled him on his feet and stood back as he brushed himself.  
"Scott," Sam waited until he gave her his attention. "With Sergeant Turner gone, that makes you the commanding officer."  
He froze, his eyes widened in realization. Not sure what to do, he slowly looked up, almost appearing to be looking at dead space. It went on for a minute until Sam spoke up.  
"Scott?"  
He snapped out of his trance and looked back at her.  
"Your first order?"  
"Yes, first order, uh… Is everyone out of the plane?"  
"Yes."  
"Good. What about our supplies?  
"We've gotten most out, but we don't know what's been damaged."  
"Alright then, we need to establish a perimeter around the area. Find out how far into enemy territory we are and, more importantly, find out just where we are."  
"Sir, there's a problem," said another male.  
Scott turned around to face the Marine, who stood just a few inched shorter than him.  
"What's that, Daniel?"  
"It's with some of our equipment. Our radios aren't working. Neither is the GPS. In fact, none of our satellite-based equipment is working."  
Scott was disappointed at the news. His eyes darted furiously as he tried to figure out a backup plan. "We'll have to wait till morning. For now I need a perimeter set up. Daniel, I want you to get two others and scout around."  
"Yes sir." He nodded and left.  
"So," said Sam, "What do you make of all this?"  
He looked around. Even with the pouring rain, the flames were large and bright enough to illuminate everything within twenty yards. There were ferns and bushes all around them along with tree trunks. He looked up a trunk next to him and could see as far up as the light would reveal until it was enveloped in darkness.  
"I'm not quite sure, he admitted, "but it bothers me."

Scott stretched himself and yawned. From the inside of the osprey he looked out the back and saw sunshine piercing through the treetops. The only evidence that there was a storm last night was the drops of water dripping from the top of the plane entrance. He walked out of the cabin and got a better look at his surroundings. The terrain was far from a dessert. A combination of towering conifer trees and their shorter deciduous counterparts surrounded them. It was baffling for the new leader.  
His bewilderment was broken when he looked over to see some of his team moving bodies around. "What's the toll?" he asked Oscar.  
The African American turned around with dog tags in his hand. "Other than loosing Sergeant, both pilots are dead, along with Joseph, Alex, Jeff, and Michael. Tis a shame," he said, shaking his head.  
"It could've been worse." Scott then looked back inside the plane.  
Daniel had headphones on while he spun a dial on the radio, trying to get a signal.  
"Any luck?" Scott asked.  
Daniel's expression answered the question before he even spoke. He took his headphones off. "No. The weird thing is that the radio is perfectly fine. It's not damaged in any way, but I just can't get a signal."  
"Is there anything that works?"  
Daniel shrugged. "The hand-held radios work." He handed one to him.  
Scott pressed a button and talked into the speaker.  
"Mike, do you read me?" He waited for a moment. A static-covered voice answered.  
"Yeah, I hear you."  
"Have you found anything out there?"  
"Negative, but this place is creeping me out. I'm hearing a lot of unusual wildlife out here."  
"We're in a forest, what do you expect?"  
"No, I mean they sound unnatural."  
Scott stopped and took the moment to listen. He could hear the birds in the distance engaging in their daily conversation. There wasn't too much that was unusual about the call patterns, but some of the birds did in fact sound a little odd. He spoke in the radio again.  
"They must be some exotic species. Come back and help set up camp."  
"Roger that."

A tall, cloaked being lumbered out of his cave. Last night's storm didn't give him much time to sleep, especially the strange, thunderous-like sound he heard. He had never heard anything like it. About an hour afterwards, he could smell fuel. It had been a long time since he had smelled its pungent odder. Yet it seemed a little different. No matter, he made the connection between the sound and the fuel. There were trespassers on his island, and all intruders must be dealt with.

"You're not making any sense," said the confused leader.  
"Well, you'll have to see it for yourself then," Mike argued. He opened his pack and pulled out a canteen. He twisted the top off and poured out its contents.  
"Hey! Don't! That's precious-" Scott stopped himself hallway with his mouth half open. He finished his sentence, but more softly, "Water."  
Everyone was astonished as a translucent, metallic-colored liquid poured out.  
"You- you didn't drink that, did you?" The leader inquired.  
Josh smiled and slapped Mike on the back of the shoulder. "I gave him all of my chocolate bars and twenty bucks if he did."  
Scott face-palmed himself. "How long ago did you drink this and how much?"  
Mike shrugged. "About two hours ago. I've had at least a pint so far."  
Oscar approached him and turned Mike's head towards him. "Have you been experiencing stomach problems or any weird side effects?" he inquired as he examined Mike's eyes.  
"Honestly, no. I feel fine."  
Sam and some of the marines gave each other concerned looks.  
"For now, you are," Said Scott. "Just where did you find this 'water'?"  
Josh pointed over his shoulder. "At least a hundred yards to the south."  
Sam pulled out her compass. She held it steady and waited for the needle to stop. It didn't. Sam stared at the compass, stunned as the needle kept spinning back and forth.  
"Amanda, is your compass working?"  
Amanda pulled out hers. "No."  
Soon everyone pulled out their compasses and where perplexed and astonished.  
"Okay, this is getting weird," Said Josh.  
Scott then looked up at the sky. The rising sun was to his left, meaning Josh was indeed pointing south.  
"From now on, looks like we're going to be navigating the old fashion way."

Scott was trained to be prepared for anything: an attack, rescuing someone, and if needed, what to do if alone in enemy territory. His training couldn't prepare him and his comrades for what they saw. A small stream trickled in front of them, their stunned faces reflecting off the metallic-colored water.  
"Well, I think it's safe to say we're not in Kansas anymore," Josh jested.  
"This isn't exactly Narnia either," smiled Sam.  
"The stream. It has to lead to a river," Blurted Scott.  
The two stopped their war of comebacks and looked at Scott, who stared downstream. Without saying a word, he walked alongside the stream. The others followed closely. For half a mile they made their way down a slope. The stream itself grew slightly as another small stream merged with it. Soon the slope became steeper. A light rumble began to fill the forest around them, while the vegetation around was becoming thicker. Scott stumbled as he pushed his way through.  
He finally made his way into a clearing and found himself on the bank of a small, shallow river. The water was moving swiftly over small rapids and around boulders that jutted out. Just like the stream, the water was a translucent metallic color. Mike and Josh walked over to the edge of the bank and hopped on a few of the boulders.  
After making it halfway across, Mike stopped and looked downstream. "I think there's a water fall up ahead!" he shouted.  
Curious, Scott and Sam walked down the bank. Mike and Josh hopped their way back to shore and followed. The rumble of the falls became more evident the closer they got. They stopped right at the edge and looked down at the four hundred foot drop. Most of the water falling down scattered into a mist, which was then carried away by the wind. What water made it to the ground disappeared into the forest that covered its path. Farther out, they could see a large body of water. The large mass of water stretched from north to south. Their best bet was that it was ocean. The only problem with that theory was that it too was metallic.  
Scott placed his hands on his hips and stared at the river. "This makes no sense." He pulled out his radio and talked into it. "Daniel, please tell me you've got some idea as to where we are." He waited for a moment.  
"Sorry, but I got nothing," Daniel replied.  
"Well, maybe this can help: We just made it to a tall water fall, and looking out, we can see what we think is the ocean."  
"The ocean? Scott, for us to be that close to the ocean, or perhaps the Black Sea even, we would've had to crash several hundred miles off course."  
Sam was listening closely to their conversation, but something down below caught the corner of her eye. She knelt down and turned over a rock partly submerged in the water.  
"Uh, guys."  
The three men were engaged with Daniel in a debate over whether or not the maps were correct. She picked up the small object and cradled it in her hands.  
"Guys," she said a little louder.  
They still didn't respond.  
"Guys!"  
The three stopped and turned around. Scott opened his mouth, but it hung open. Their eyes widened and their gaze went upward, over her head. She wasn't quite sure what they were doing until a shadow passed over her. She looked up and was shocked as a large animal flew over them. It was huge, having bat-like wings that spanned twenty feet. What was most surprising was that for a moment they though they saw it made partially out of metal. The large creature screeched as it turned around and flew at them. Flying in closer, they were able to confirm that it was in fact part robotic. They also noticed it had its talons stretching towards them.  
"Run!" ordered Scott.  
Nobody questioned him as they followed behind. The creature screeched again and brought its wings closer to its body. It dove down and readied its talons. Mike looked back and saw the claws coming at him fast and jumped to the ground right before it could grab him. The creature cried in disappointment as it climbed into the air to try again. He got back on his feet and fired his gun. The first round missed, but the second round pierced through the membrane skin of its right wing. It gave off another screech and flew away. He then sprinted back into the forest and caught up to his comrades, who hid along a fallen tree, gasping for air.  
"What… the hell… was that!?" gasped Scott. "Or better yet… what, the hell… is this place?!"  
"Maybe," Josh took a few more gasps for air and restarted. "Maybe those actors on Lost weren't really actors at all and we just found the same island they crashed on."  
"Shut up, Josh!" Scott sat down and rubbed his forehead.  
Sam held out her clasped hands. "Guys, something tells me the wildlife here is more different than you think." She opened them to reveal a small, half mechanical crab. It crawled around her hand. She put her hand next to Scott's, allowing the crab to walk onto his. He looked closely at the crab and all of its components.  
"What do you make of all this?" asked Mike.  
Scott kept his gaze on the little crab. "I don't know. But if there's creatures like that thing in the sky, then I don't want to know what's prowling around on the ground." Then his face froze in an epiphany. He pulled out the radio again. "Daniel, call everyone back to the plane now. When we get back, I want a head count."

The cloaked being stopped as loud bangs passed over, scaring the birds out of their perches. His large ears went up and turned in different directions, homing in on the source. When he got a good idea of where it came from, he climbed up a tall fir tree until he got close to the top. He looked out and observed the tall cliffs that stood out in the distance.  
The wind blew across his face, carrying with it tiny particles that his sense of smell picked up. The scent wasn't old, but its owner was certainly quite a distance away. He knew if he was fast enough, he could catch the intruders before sunset. He jumped off the tree and landed onto branches of other trees until he made it to the ground and ran for the cliffs.

"I have a theory," Josh declared, talking as though he was a world-renowned scientist. "The water in the area is the cause for the robotic creatures. It must have some chemical properties that, over time, turn them into cyborgs! Which means soon Mike here will become part mechanical."  
Mike rolled his eyes at the idea. "Oh please, like that would happen."  
Josh shrugged, "You never know," and slapped him on the back as he walked past him.  
Mike dismissed it, but soon the concept began to take hold in his mind. _"_ _perhaps it's possible there is a connection between the strange water and the creatures,"_ he thought. He stopped and placed a hand on his stomach as nausea began to set in.  
Sam noticed she couldn't hear Mike's feet and turned around. "What's wrong?"  
The other two stopped and looked back.  
"Do you really think it's possible? Could I really change into something I might not like?" asked Mike.  
"Don't be ridiculous," said Scott. "You're not going to change into anything. Now let's hurry up. I don't want to keep the others waiting." He only took a few steps and stopped. Before his comrades could ask him anything, a soft buzzing sound encircled them. They looked in all directions as the sound in their ears rang louder.  
Mike looked over his shoulder and exclaimed "Oh my-!"  
They all turned around and saw a swarm of large, mosquito-like insects nearly twice their size, flying at them in random zigzagging patterns.  
Scott gave his order by firing at the insects. The others were quick to comply and supported him. Two insects chirped wildly as they were hit and dropped to the ground like flies. The sudden loss did not deter the bugs as they flew circles around them, swooping in their attempts to snag a meal. In the midst of the fight Sam noticed a hum ringing in her ears at a lower frequency. She used her pinky to clean out her ear, but she could still hear it. She was about to dismiss it as hearing loss from the gunshots, but a blur caught her attention. She only got a quick look before running for her leader.  
"Get down!" she yelled as she pushed Scott.  
He felt a strong breeze pass over him and heard a scream. He got back on his feet and saw a much larger version of the insects fly away with Sam in its hands.  
"Sam!" Scott screamed.  
The smaller insects immediately dispersed, flying high above the canopy. The buzzing sound of their wings dissipated, leaving the forest completely absent of sound.  
Mike was almost lost for words. "Do I want to know what all that was?"  
"No," said Scott. He picked up Sam's rifle and ran after the larger insect. "But I'm afraid I know what they're going to do to her!"  
"Scott, wait!" cried Mike.  
They pursued after him.  
"She could be anywhere by now," reasoned Josh.  
"I'm not going to let another comrade die out here, especially when they're going to get eaten!"

Sam's high-pitched screams pierced through the forest canopy. The large insect that held her made several sudden and unexpected maneuvers, making it difficult for her to reach out for her Glock 9mm gun. She could feel her fingertips touch the holster. Another sudden turn broke her concentration. She gave it another try, reaching as far and hard as she could. The strap came off and she firmly grabbed the gun. Looking up and aiming carefully, she shot the creature's midsection several times.  
The giant insect screeched in agony and released Sam before diving to the ground. Her feet hit the ground and she rolled several times. For what felt like minutes, she laid still before slowly standing up. She looked around and saw the creature twenty yards away, wings twitching as the last ounce of life faded. Not wanting to take any more chances, she drew the gun again and fired three more rounds. It stopped moving.  
She sighed with relief, and then pulled out her compass. The needle still spun back and forth as though it was drunk. Suddenly a gunshot ran through the forest. An idea came to her and she fired a shot in the air. She waited and was answered with another gunshot. She was able to find the direction of the shot and limped her way towards it. For ten minutes her sore legs ached for her to take a rest. She found a large tree and leaned her weight on it. She aimed her gun in the air and fired another shot. The response was quicker this time. They were getting close. Tired, she sat down and let the sun's rays bathe her face. There was something odd about the light. It wasn't as warm as she thought it would be. For her, it felt somewhat artificial.  
Her thought was interrupted by the sound of a disturbed bush. She looked around. "Scott?" she yelled nervously.  
There was no response, and no sign of any large creatures around. She was skeptical of the silence, but sat back up against the tree and closed her eyes. Soon the warm light on her face went cold and dark. Not sure what caused it, she opened her eyes and stared straight into a pair of blue orbs towering over her. She only got a second to look at the cloaked figure, as it growled and flared its six-inch long teeth at her, before she yelled to the top of her lungs.  
It grabbed her by the vest, lifted her into the air and slammed her against the tree. "I've had enough of these 'games'. Tell her to leave me alone!" It snarled.  
Sam was flabbergasted. Her mouth gapped open and could barely utter a word. "Wha- what?"  
Its eyes narrowed as it growled. "Don't play stupid!"  
He threw her thirty yards across the forest. Without her pack, the impact of her back against the tree would've been a lot more painful. The sore and moaning marine got up as fast as she could. She got another good look at her attacker and could tell it stood at least nine feet tall, most of his figure covered in a black cloak. It had a long, brown head with green sickle-like ears protruding from the back. What looked like two rows of spikes rattled along his spine as he crouched down to pounce. She turned around and ran. He gave a quick roar and gave chase, catching up to her faster than she would've expected him too. She felt his hands push her to the ground from behind. She lifted her head out of the ground with a face covered in dirt.  
The next thing she felt was a large hand grab her by the top of the helmet and pull her up. She held onto his wrist to keep the weight of her body from internally decapitating her. Once again she was face to face with the attacker.  
"She might be creative in using you, but you're not fooling me," he growled.  
"What are you talking about?!" Her question infuriated him.  
He marched over to a tree and began to climb up with little difficulty. The marine frantically tried to unbuckle the helmet. The creature looked down and saw what she was doing. He lightly tossed her in the air and grabbed the back of her collar. The unexpected move startled her and she looked down to find herself already thirty feet in the air and climbing. This time she hung on to him for dear life.  
"Scott!" she screamed.  
Sixty feet up the tree he found a branch barely strong enough to hold them both up. He tossed her on it and pressed his foot on her stomach. The branch creaked under the stress.  
"You seem pretty fragile, so I'll make this simple. Tell me where she is, or I'll find out whether or not another fatality to her growing list will get her to leave me alone for good."  
From his cloak he drew out a three-pronged blade, nearly as long as she was tall, and let the tips touch her neck. Her eyes opened wide. She squirmed around, trying to break free, when her hand brushed along her holster. The pistol was there, but her attacker had his full attention on her.  
She tried to stall him, "I-I-".  
"Sam!" rang a familiar voice.  
Both looked down to see the three marines running through the brush. The creature growled at them. Seeing her chance, she drew out the gun and fired. The bullet struck him on the shoulder. He hollered in pain and took a step to the side. The branch cracked and broke under the weight. The three men watched as Sam and the dark figure plummeted to the ground. The dark figure showed cat-like reflexes as it twisted its body around and landed on a nearby branch and jumped from tree to tree as far and fast as possible from them. Sam, on the other hand, hit every branch in her way and landed hard on her side.  
"Sam!" yelled Scott. "Sam, are you alright?"  
She moaned and rolled over, revealing a dirt-covered face with a small scratch along the left side of her cheek.  
"I think so," she slurred.  
Mike kept an eye on the canopy for the cloaked figure. "What was that?"  
She closed her eyes and shook her head. "I-I don't know. But he's pretty upset about our presence, and I think I just made him furious."  
She slowly stood up, holding onto Mike and Scott as they pulled her to her feet. Her sore body reverberated pain through her like a gong. She could only bear a few steps on her own before collapsing into their arms again. Josh took off her pack and carried it while the others wrapped her arms around their necks and escorted her back to the plane.


	2. Hunters and Hunted

M.I.A Ch 2

*Over 17,000 years ago*  
The new Toa of stone examined himself for a third time. He could feel the new power flowing through him. It was amazing, and yet somewhat nerve racking. This power came at a price: he had to use it to protect the Matoran, something the novice wasn't good at nor had any interest in doing. His approaching brother was one of several reasons why.  
"Of all people I never expected you to become a Toa." Smirked the Toa of fire as he slapped a hand on his shoulder.  
"Same to you." He snapped back.  
"Hey, at least I have a Toa-like quality. What do you have, your personality?"  
The Toa clutched his fist.  
"Just as I thought." The Toa of fire shrugged and walked off.  
He looked at himself again. There was something about all this that wasn't right. Becoming a Toa was a high honor indeed, but he didn't feel that he was meant to be one. He looked back at his team. The five Toa were at the opening of the temple, rejoicing in their power and the duties that came with it. He sighed in disappointment. There was no way to go back to his old life, all he could do now was accept his new form and fight beside his 'comrades' until he fulfills his destiny; Whatever that 'destiny' is suppose to be.

* * *

The cloaked being rammed his shoulder into a tree. He screamed and staggered back as he rubbed his shoulder. He had tried everything to get the pain out of his arm. No amount of rubbing, itching, or herbs worked. Seeing no other option he pushed his cloak out of the way and tried to dig a finger through the hole. Anyone that heard his whimpering and hollering would find the sound unnatural. His fingertip finally touched the object lodged in, but the hole was too small to allow him to dig it out. He growled in frustration.  
"What in Mata Nui's name did she do to me?!" He was able to move the arm around, but any shoulder movement was very discomforting. If there was any chance of getting it out he would need the strange and ugly creature to do it. Finding her wouldn't be a problem. A spot of a red liquid stained the tip of his blade. With it he had her sent, and a trail leading back to her place of hiding.

* * *

"How is she?" asked Scott.  
Oscar wiped his forehead. "She's sore allover. A few days of rest and she'll be back on her feet. She's still a little shaken by what happened. Just what exactly did you say did this to her?"  
"It's hard to explain." He sat down on a log and placed his hands close to the fire. "First we encountered these giant mosquito-like creatures. They snatched her and carried her away. When we found her she was at least fifty feet up a tree with a black, lizard-thing with spikes.  
"The fun part is she shot it in the shoulder." Smiled Josh.  
"Him." Corrected Sam from inside the plane.  
Josh rolled his eyes. "Whatever."  
She slowly rolled over, resting her head on her hands. "Don't you get it? That thing is intelligent. He was talking face to face with me and knew every word I said."  
"Well what did he say?" asked Mike.  
"Something about me working for some woman."  
"Great, it's insane." Stated Josh.  
"I doubt that. Judging from what he said, this person has been bothering him for a long time and he wants it to stop."  
"So what is he some kind of escaped experiment? Are all of these creatures part of an experiment?" questioned Daniel.  
"Good question, and for now only he can answer that." Said Scott. "He might also know where on Earth we are." It wasn't until the word 'Earth' rang through Sam's mind that a startling revelation clicked.  
"I don't think we're on Earth." She declared, with mouth gaping open. "Should there be two moons?"  
All the marines looked up. Through the canopy they saw the broken shapes of the two celestial bodies. They were both the same size, but one floated higher in the sky than the other. Scott and the others were lost with words. Daniel was more expressive as he staggered backwards and collapsed. Josh smiled and stuck a hand out towards another marine and signaled to fork over something. He gave a dirty look as he handed Josh a twenty-dollar bill.  
After soaking it all in the leader recollected himself. "Get some rest everyone. Tomorrow our priority is to find that thing and get some answers."

The chirping sound of insects and hooting owls reminded Sam of her camp outs back home. She peered out the back of the plane, observing how the rays of moonlight shone through the trees, forming pillars that illuminated the ground. She stared at them until her eyes started to get heavy. Suddenly she noticed something pass under one of the beams. It was too fast for her to tell what it was. She raised her head back up and looked more closely. It happened again with another pillar that was farther to the left, and certainly closer to the plane.  
"Scott?" she whispered. "Scott wake up." A sharp growl sent the hairs on the back of her neck stand and she froze. A tall, dark figure appeared at the entrance, its blue orbs fixated squarely on hers.  
"You-" she gasped.  
He flared his teeth, and then roared as he pounced.  
Her whole body jumped. As her heart raced she turned her head around. There was no sign of her attacker. She took a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat off her face.  
Daniel was sitting around the fire, taking watch when he noticed Sam was awake. "You alright?" he whispered.  
"Yeah, just a bad dream."  
"Le'me guess, you married Josh?"  
She couldn't help but smile. "Not _that_ bad." She attempted to move out of bed, but stopped halfway was her muscles ached for rest. She submitted to her body's whim and moaned as she laid back down. "Daniel, can you get me some water."  
"Sure." He stood up and walked into the plane.

* * *

For an hour he stalked the sleeping creatures. The one keeping watch had no idea he was perched on a branch above his head. While the wait was boring, he knew he needed the perfect opening. Dawn was approaching; he would have to make his move soon. His acute hearing picked up a disturbance from inside the ship. It was the woman he met. He could hear her talking to the guard loud and clear. Her request for water made him perk up.  
As the guard stood up he readied himself and hopped off the branch, landing silently where the creature had been sitting. He kept low to the ground, his black cloak blending him with the darkness. He prowled right behind the guard until he reached the plane. The creature walked to the entrance. There she was, just feet from the door, unaware he was even here. He took a step on board making a light clank. He froze. Looking over he could see that the guard was oblivious to the sound. The woman however, heard it and looked up and straight into his eyes.  
"Daniel?" she said in a shaky voice.  
By the time the guard turned around he snatched the creature and ran deep into the woods; Her scream waking everyone in the camp.

* * *

"Let me go!" yelled Sam. She punched him, but yelled in pain after realizing she hit something metallic. She then tried to squirm her way out. Her sore body however, protested. Then she remembered her gun. She reached back and tried to unstrap the holster. The being looked over and saw what was happening. He stopped running and hung her in the air by her leg. Then he snatched the gun and held in front of her, just far enough that she couldn't reach it.  
"Not this time." He growled and crushed the weapon like a can of soda.  
"You better let me go right now, or so help me I will-"  
"You'll do what, shot me? You're in no position to make any demands." He snarled.  
"Okay then, what do you want from me?" It took a second for her to realize she already knew the answer. He turned her back over and with one hand shoved her against a tree.  
"Where is she?" He growled.  
"I don't know who you're talking about."  
His eye twitched. "I don't have time for this!" He grabbed her by the collar and dragged her along.  
"Wait, don't kill me!"  
"I won't. Not yet."  
For three hours Sam walked as hard as she could to stay ahead of the cloaked being. Occasionally he would shove her to keep her 'motivated'. Neither spoke a word during the trek and her legs ached and throbbed, begging her to stop and rest. The morning light seemed to vividly make every boulder and log they passed enticing to sit on. Through the brush she noticed a blob of dark in the distance. As they got closer she realized it was a cave. The entrance was over thirty feet high and well over forty feet wide. How far back it went was impossible to tell. The light only illuminated about seventy-five feet of the cave before being consumed in shadow. Entering it, she felt a cool draft and shivered.  
There wasn't much in the cave; A ring of rocks with ash in the center, a pile of ferns along the wall and various tools and objects scattered around. For a robotic and intelligent creature it was definitely the most primitive home she had ever seen. He pulled her over to the opposite side of the cave and pulled out a rope made from strands of a long, flexible plant. So exhausted, she put aside any idea to resist and held out her wrist, allowing him to tie her up. He then proceeded to tie up her feet. She noticed he was avoiding the use of his left arm. Occasionally he would stop and rub it. That's when she realized it was the bullet. He may be powerful, but he was far from invincible.  
She sat down, relieved that she could rest. The ground was hard, but she was grateful to be sitting at all. He crawled over to the ferns and laid down. The creature groaned and rubbed his left shoulder.  
"I'm tired," he yawned, "You have until I wake up to decide if you're willing to cooperate with me."  
"And if I don't?"  
He glared at her. "When I wake up I'll be hungry and right now you look pretty tasty." He curled up; spikes folded down, and closed his eyes. She half expected him to spin around a few times like a cat. For a half hour she stared at the forest. A drop or two of rain appeared, which quickly turned into a light storm. The pattering sounds of the drops on the leaves rang its lullaby into the cave.  
Sleeping was very tempting for the marine, but she knew her time was running up. There was no way she could convince the giant she knew nothing. It would be a shame if her comrades found her bones along the forest floor. An odd growl filled the cave. She looked at the cloaked figure. His breathing was very deep. The fact that the thing could snore amused her.  
The sign of deep sleep gave her the chance she'd been waiting for. She reached for her boot and pulled out a long knife. It was curved at the tip, with wide teeth along the bottom half of the blade. Being quiet, she sawed off the ropes.  
 _"_ _We'll see who's calling the shots now."_ On her hands and knees, she quietly crawled to the sleeping being. She had it all planned out: when she was close enough she would get on top of him and place the blade along his neck. He would have no choice but to answer to her.  
She finally reached the creature, knife in hand and ready to strike. She sat up and positioned herself. A sudden wave of pain traveled through her body. She cringed her teeth and tried to rub the pain away.  
"Gosh darn it." She whispered ever so slightly.  
The creature's eyes opened, with his blue orbs looking right at her. She froze, startled that he woke so easily. He noticed the knife and growled in rage. What happened the next two seconds was too fast or her to comprehend. He lunged at her and managed to pin her to the ground with one hand on her chest. The other hand meant to grab the wrist holding the knife, but slipped and his claw-tipped fingers slashed her arm. She screamed and let the knife fall out of her hands.  
"Well, I'm a wake and you've obviously made up your mind." He grabbed her by the neck and began to squeeze.  
The marine clasped her hands around his, trying to pry them off. "Wai- you d- underst-" she gasped between words.  
He squeezed harder and watched as her body wriggled around. "Oh I understand perfectly. And don't worry, I'll make sure your 'buddies' get my message loud and clear."  
"Xipher!" shouted a voice. He turned around. "Put it down now!" she pleaded.  
"This thing works for her."  
"How do you know?"  
"Isn't it obvious?"  
"You mean she carries her scent?" she asked curiously. His face went blank. As Sam's eyes rolled over he released his grip and sent the gasping girl falling back to the ground. She crab-walked backwards and then placed a hand on her chest while she panted to make up for the lost oxygen. Looking at the entrance she realized her unexpected rescuer was another one of his kind. She was white, with blue eyes and ears. She was smaller and also wore a cloak, but it was white. Her kidnapper brought his face close up to Sam's and began to take in several small whiffs of air. He pulled his head back stunned.  
"I don't smell her." His blank stare at the wall told Sam that he was feeling stupid for not doing this in the first place. "But if you- then she-" He looked back at her. "Why so many weapons then? What are you even doing here?"  
The white being approached him. "Xipher?" Her eyes were filled with worry. "Are you alright? You've been gone for two days. What's going on?"  
He looked at her and shook his head. "I- I'm sorry. I haven't slept much these past few days." He rubbed his face and took a step back. "I need to sleep." He turned around and laid back down.  
"Wait, won't you tell me what's going on?" The white being asked.  
"Tie her back up first, then I'll explain." He answered. "Oh and search her for any other surprises."  
She looked at the marine, who was sitting up, putting pressure on her bleeding arm. Sam noticed her approaching and tried to scoot herself away. The being knelt down and made eye contact.  
She spoke softly. "It's okay." Out from the cloak she stretched forth a hand and turned Sam's arm over. The lower half of her sleeve was torn and stained in blood. She ripped the sleeve off and saw two long scars starting near the wrist, running six inches long, at an angle down her arm. The wound bled heavily, streaming down to her elbow, where it dripped off and pooled on the ground.  
The white being walked over to a basket nearby. She opened it and dug around, using her sense of smell to aid her, and pulled out a small strip of cloth and a fern-like plant. When she returned she rubbed the leaves and placed it on the wound, then wrapped the cloth around her arm.  
"There." Was all she said as she tightened the makeshift bandage. She then proceeded to search her. Sam noticed she was quite the opposite of Xipher. She didn't rip out all of the contents of her pockets, but felt around with a gentle touch, and the objects she took out were handled with care. Perhaps she would be more willing to talk. When she was done emptying her pockets she looked back at Xipher, who was sound asleep.  
"Is he always that grumpy?" whispered Sam  
"It's not uncommon for him to be in a bad mood." She spoke softly, "He's been through a lot. For now it's best you get some rest too. There are many questions that need answering." She walked to the bed of ferns and laid down.  
"Can I first get your name?"  
The white being didn't answer. Sam sighed in defeat and crawled back to the opposite side of the cave, holding her injured arm close to her chest. Using a rock for a pillow, she laid down and listened to the tapping of the rain. She was unsure now just what would happen to her, but knowing she wasn't guilty of association to some stranger brought her some relief. Perhaps a good nap is all her captors need to be in a better mood.

* * *

Sam awoke to chatter. At the entrance the two beings were conversing with each other, backs turned towards her. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but their occasional glance back at her suggested who it was about. The white being reached out and put a hand on his left shoulder. He immediately pulled it back, placing his own hand on it for protection. They exchanged a few more words and then turned and approached her. Not quite sure what to expect she sat up, still cradling her arm.  
"Okay," said the white one "You have questions and so do we. Even though you don't carry our enemy's scent, Xipher here is still skeptical."  
"It's because of the weapons isn't it?" she asked softly. He gave a slight nod. "I assure you they're not meant for you, unless you plan to hurt us."  
"That depends on what I find out. So how about we start off small. What's your name?"  
"My name is Sam. It's short for Samantha. And you are?" she looked at the white being.  
"White Saber. And you've seem to of gotten well 'acquainted' with Xipher."  
Xipher intervened. "Alright Sam, what are you?"  
"I'm a Human."  
He looked unimpressed by the answer. "Never heard of them."  
"Something about that doesn't surprise me. And just what are you?"  
Xipher paused. "A Toa."  
Saber's ears went down as though ashamed of the answer. "So the big question, why are you here?"  
Sam thought about it for a moment. Everything she figured out about this place made sense to her, but she couldn't say the same for him. She would have to choose her words carefully.  
"I can't really answer that until I explain _how_ we got here."  
He tilted his head. "What do you mean?"  
"My comrades and I are Marines, defenders of our people. We were flying in a desert, to support a stranded patrol. On our way we were shot down." She began to slowly shake her head, still trying to believe it herself. "I don't know how or why, but there was a sudden flash of purple. When the flash dissipated the scene around us wasn't a desert in the daytime, but a storm in the middle of the night."  
Xipher's facial expression could clearly be read that he wasn't quite buying into it. But he continued the conversation to see where it would go. "And you crashed here. So then where are you from? Artidax, Visorak, one of the southern islands?"  
"Uh, try more extra terrestrial."  
Xipher gave her a dirty look.  
"You have to believe me, some unnatural force took us from our world and dropped us off here. Hardly anything here matches our planet. The half robotic life, the strange-colored water, the two moons!"  
"What about the two suns?" inquired Saber.  
Sam's face lit up in shock. "There are two suns?"  
Xipher palmed his face and took a few steps back. "I don't believe this." His tone echoed his disbelief. "Either you're a horrible liar, or you're delusional."  
"I'm not making this up." Sam defended.  
"Kid I've seen a lot of strange things happen. You and your story don't even make it in the top ten."  
"If you don't believe me then ask my comrades."  
"Don't need to. They don't know where you are. I can just keep you here until you start spilling the truth."  
"You need to get the bullet out of your shoulder don't you?"  
Xipher gave a quick glance at his arm. He growled softly at himself. "And you know who can fix this?"  
"Yeah, but I'm not saying who until you talk with them." She demanded.  
Xipher turned around. "Fine." He snarled "But you're staying here." Before he reached the entrance Sam called out to him.  
"Could you please hurry? I need him too." She held up her arm, the cloth bandage stained almost entirely with blood.


	3. Foreign Relations

*Over 17,000 years ago*

"That went better than I thought," The Toa of fire said as he brushed the dust off his shoulder.  
"It would've been better if Xipher here held up the ceiling with his powers," explained the Toa of Air.  
"I did what I could," Xipher spat. "Even with my powers, that cave would've collapsed."  
His leader turned around and pointed his index finger at him. "Maybe it's because you're falling behind on your training, skipping out to enjoy your 'personal time'."  
Xipher stopped. As his leader marched away, he clutched his fist and watched as the distance between him and his brothers grew. The only one who stopped was his sister. The Toa of water turned and noticed he wasn't following.  
"Brother, what's wrong?" she softly asked.  
"It's nothing," he grumbled.  
She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Xipher."  
Her tone told him she wasn't convinced. He let out a sigh. "What if I don't want this life? I mean, it's an honor being a Toa, but people still see me as a…. what did Turaga describe me as?"  
She let out a sheepish smile. "An antisocial, poor tempered, duty-ditching punk."  
"Oh yeah…" he said with much displeasure.  
"Is any of that true?"  
He paused. "Just the antisocial part."  
"Then what kind of person are you?"  
Xipher stared out into the forest before turning and walking away. "Someone who doesn't like to be around people." 

* * *

If Scott and his comrades weren't running for their lives, they would've had a good laugh at Josh for screaming like a girl. The sound of caterpillar tracks was catching up from behind. Scott ran to a large tree and maneuvered around it. The beast chasing him couldn't do the same and overshot. He turned around and got another good look at the creature. It was a large, black metallic cat, with red highlights. The hind legs were replaced with a single caterpillar track.  
The Jaguar-like machine roared as it turned around to face its prey. Scott was about to take aim when it suddenly stretched out its neck. He jumped back and fell to the ground. Its jaws snapped shut where he had just stood. It retracted its neck and crouched down to attack. Shots rang out, hitting the cat in the torso. The creature roared in agony and fell to its side. Scott looked behind and saw Mike with the gun, still aimed at the cat, shaking in his hands.  
"There's got to be some kind of mad scientist around here." Mike jumped as another gunshot rang out. He turned around in time to see a second cat fall to the ground just feet from him.  
Josh walked up to the creature and poked at it with his foot. "To bad no one's going to believe this. Anyone got a camera?" He placed one foot on the cat and made a victory pose, expecting someone to take a picture.  
"This isn't the time," snapped Scott. He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled Sam's name as loud as he could. His only reply was his echo. He then pulled out the radio. "Daniel, any sign of her?"  
"Negative."  
Scott tightened his grip on the radio, trying very hard to not throw it on the ground. After releasing his stress, he walked back up to the tree and sat down. The leader hung his head while burying his face in his hands.  
Mike took off his helmet and sat next to him. "Don't hurt yourself. She couldn't of gone far."  
"It's not that," stressed Scott. "Every hour that passes convinces me more and more that she's dead."  
"She could still be alive."  
"Mike, you saw what that thing tried to do to her. If she answers one question wrong, she'll be found eventually. Covered in blood."  
"That's only if she bleeds out," said a cold voice.  
Everyone jumped in surprised and looked around. Scott looked upwards and spotted the cloaked figure perched on a branch. He quickly stood up. and clenched his teeth. "Where is she?!"  
"She's safe, and in pretty decent shape… I think."  
"You think?!" Scott repeated in anger.  
"Hey, she brought it on herself. But what you should really be focusing on is how badly you want to find her."  
Scott clutched his fist. "What do you want?"  
"I only ask that you comply with two things. Do them both right and I'll take you to her. If not, she's on her own."  
"And those are?" inquired Josh.  
"The first is that you answer all of my questions. Then I want you to remove whatever it is she lodged in my shoulder."  
"Fine," said Scott. "But I ask one thing from you."  
The being raised an eyebrow. "And what's that?"  
"You take off the cloak and keep it off. I want proof you won't pull off any surprises."  
His spikes folded down as he growled. The being jumped from his perch thirty feet up and landed on his feet like a cat. He took off the cloak. Scott quickly realized he wasn't so intimidating with it on. Despite his slenderness, the organic parts of his body were masculine. Along his waist were two clawed blades almost as long as Scott was tall. The being walked up to him, towering over, and looked down.  
"Better?" he growled.  
Scott didn't answer. Instead, he brought the radio up to his face. "Oscar, we're heading back and we're bringing a guest with us, so have your medical kit out and ready."  
"Roger that."  
Xipher began to encircle them. "Good. Now first question: What are you?"  
"We're Humans," answered Mike.  
"Why are you here?"  
"We don't have a reason for being here," replied Scott.  
"What do you mean?" he growled.  
"It's hard to explain. We were flying to the aid of our comrades when a bright flash of purple appeared. The next thing we know, we're here in a forest."  
Xipher stopped and stared at Scott. "Do you know anyone by the name Sorza?"  
Scott answered firmly. "No."  
After analyzing the Marine's expression, Xipher growled. "I'll buy your story. Now take me to Oscar."  
"Gesh, talk about demanding."  
Xipher turned and roared at the Human who made the smart remark.  
"Josh, this is not a good time," snapped Scott.  
"Sorry." he replied halfheartedly.  
Josh's fake apology didn't impress nor satisfied Xipher. But he chose to let it slide. The Humans put their gear on and began their march up the hill. He followed close behind with his cloak in his hands.  
"So, do you have a name?" inquired Mike.  
"Xipher," he coldly answered, "And I have no interest in knowing yours."  
Josh leaned over to Scott and whispered. "Something tells me this is going to be a 'beautiful' relationship."  
"I heard that," barked Xipher.

The Marines sitting around the campfire were hungry, yet the hot food on their laps  
could not pull their attention away from Xipher. He gave an occasion hiss and pulled his shoulder away.  
"Hold still," Oscar ordered.  
He made another attempt and carefully placed the tweezers inside the wound. When he felt the bullet, he dug around to get a hold of it. Xipher hissed again, clutching his fist as he tried to resist the urge to pull back.  
"Got it." The medic slowly pulled out the bullet and examined it.  
Xipher stood up and moved his arm around. He could feel a definite improvement.  
"Alright, we fixed your arm. Now where's Sam?" asked Scott.  
"She's not too far. I'll have her back in an hour or two."  
"Oh no, you're taking me with you."  
"You want her back here as soon as possible, right?" he snarled.  
"I want to make sure you don't turn your back on us," snapped Scott.  
Xipher growled. "If anyone is coming, it's Oscar."  
"He won't need to," answered a feminine voice.  
Everyone turned around. The glow of the fire revealed a tall, white figure carrying Sam in her arms.  
"Saber," Xipher growled, "I told you to watch over her, not bring her here."  
"I know," she whimpered. "But I'm having a hard time fixing her." She placed Sam down.  
Oscar went to her and pulled her sleeve back.  
"How bad is it?" asked Sam in a tired voice.  
"There's quite a bit of bleeding, but it's nothing I can't fix." He took the fern-like plant off her arm. "What is this?"  
"It's Sestra Fern. It helps against infection," Saber softly answered. "Keep it. It might help in the future."  
Xipher quickly cut their conversation short. "We're done here, let's go."  
"Hold on, we need answers too."  
Xipher gave a quick glance at the Human leader. "Another time, perhaps."  
Before Scott could order his men to act, Xipher jumped into the trees and disappeared into the shadow of night.  
"Saber, perhaps you could-"  
She was gone too.  
Josh crossed his arms and leaned back. "Talk about dramatic exits."  
"Tomorrow, we need to find him and get some answers," said Scott.  
"Don't bother."  
Scott and the others looked at Sam.  
"Xipher is stubborn. He won't give you anything useful. Saber, however, gave some answers, but they only raise more questions." She flinched and clenched her teeth, hissing as Oscar wiped a disinfecting agent on her wounds.  
"What exactly did she tell you?" asked Daniel.  
"We're on one of a group of islands they call the Southern Islands."  
"I wonder how they came up with that name," Josh mocked.  
"Regardless of its name, few people dare come this far south. Apparently, most of it is uncharted."  
Scott leaned against the plane, arms folded. "Did she say how we can get home?"  
Sam shook her head. "No. All she mentioned was that there was some advanced city far to the north. I think she called it Metro-Nui or something."  
"What about this mystery woman Xipher thought we were affiliated with? Sorza was it?"  
"Never got an answer," replied Sam.  
Scott exhaled deeply. "Tomorrow, we need to talk to Saber. She's our best bet."

"What do you think?" asked Saber  
Xipher didn't answer. He continued to stare at the ground.  
"Xipher."  
He brought his head up. "I don't know."  
"You don't know?" she repeated. "How can you not-"  
"Not a single one of them carried her scent, yet their story doesn't make sense. Who abducts a group of aliens and then drops them here of all places? Something isn't right about this."  
"So then what do we do about it?"  
Xipher was silent. He lowered his head and stared back at the ground. "For now, we watch them, but keep our distance and make sure they don't know we're watching."  
They reached their cave. The fire was almost burnt out, with just a few glowing embers. The thick darkness in the cave didn't hinder them from finding their bed.  
"Suppose that what they're saying is the truth. What then?"  
Xipher's spikes went down. "Then we make sure they never leave this island."

Xipher's ears twitched. He opened his eyes and scanned the entrance of the cave. The forest was usually calm in the morning, but bushes were being disturbed; twigs snapped under the weight of a foot. He stood up and drew out his blades. Soon, the strangers revealed themselves.  
"What are you doing here?" he hissed.  
"We're here to see Saber," said Scott.  
Xipher looked around. "She's not here."  
"Then we'll just have to get answers from you," replied Scott. "How do we get home?"  
"Trust me, its best you stay."  
"No it isn't," protested Sam. "We only have enough rations for a few days. After that, we're going to have a hard time finding food."  
"I'll teach you how to hunt and gather. Then you can stay for the rest of your life." He growled and went back to sleep.  
Sam marched up to him and knelt down. "Xipher, we can't stay here. We have to go back home."  
He continued pretending to sleep. Frustrated, she placed a hand on him to shake him. He immediately grabbed her tightly by the arm. She hissed and tried to yank it away. Xipher quickly realized he was grabbing on her injured arm, which was now completely wrapped in bandages. He let go, allowing her to cradle her arm next to her chest. He stood up and glared down at the Humans.  
"Let's get some things straight here. This island is your new home. Out there, they will reject you. The Vortixx, Skakdi, Matoran, just to name a few. The only ones who would even tolerate you are those with dark intentions."  
"There has to be someone out there willing to help," said Scott.  
"I doubt it," hissed Xipher. "Any more questions you want to annoy me with?"  
"I've got one," replied Sam "Who's this Sorza woman you thought we were affiliated with?"  
He sighed. "A Vortixx trapper. She frequently visits this island, trying to capture me, Saber, and our friend Vaptech, in hope of selling us to the highest bidder."  
"Your kind are hunted like animals," gasped Sam.  
"She's never succeeded, but we've had some close calls. If she ever found you, there's no telling what she'll do. I'll teach you all the do's and dont's of living here later on today, but after that, you leave me alone. Understand?"  
Scott nodded.  
"Good. Now go away." He laid back down and curled up.  
Sam looked at Scott, who shrugged. Xipher could hear them leave. He was relieved. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Saber, who had been hiding in the dark and listening. She walked up with a long, worried look on her face.  
"When will you tell them what we really are. Why we're sought after?"  
"They don't need to know," he mumbled. "And it's best they don't know."

No one likes being chased by a Nui-Kopen. For Sam, one was all she ever wanted to meet. Now a second one was chasing her. She ducked whenever she could and occasionally turned around to take a quick shot. The loud shots didn't scare nor hinder the insect as it flew in for another grab. From behind, she heard a roar, followed by an ear-piercing screech and a crash. She stopped and turned around. The mosquito-like creature was on the ground and cut in half. Above it, Xipher was perched on a branch.  
"You seem to have a habit to getting into trouble."  
She shrugged. "That, or I'm a delicacy around here."  
Xipher was not amused. He jumped down. "Other than this little incident, let's see how you did."  
Sam pulled of her backpack and pulled out a container full of berries, some ferns, and various leaves.  
"Good. You'll have a decent meal tonight. If Scott can find a Rahi large enough, that is." He escorted her back to the campsite. There, Mike was preparing the fire as Scott removed the organic parts of a monkey he killed.  
"You're pretty fast learners," Xipher said coldly. "There is one more thing to discuss: Energized Protodermis."  
"And just what is that?" inquired Scott.  
"A toxic liquid that takes on a similar appearance to water. Whenever you find a pond or large pool of water, throw a few organic things in and see what happens. If it explodes, don't touch it. If it transforms, then don't touch it. This is your only warning." He then began to walk away. "Now don't bother me again."  
When he was gone, Josh looked over. "We're not really going to stay here for the rest of our lives, are we?"  
"Of course not," Scott answered. "We need time to make a new camp at the beach and build rafts. Hopefully, Daniel and Mike have found a suitable site." He pulled out the walkie. "Hey Daniel, how goes the search?"  
"Haven't reached the beach yet," he replied. "But watch out for any standing water."  
Scott was confused. "Why?"  
"Because Mike here shot a bird, it fell down into a pond, and when it hit that water, it burst into flames."  
Everyone at camp gave looks at Scott, who was just as surprised.  
"Maybe we should listen more carefully when Xipher tells us not to do something," suggested Sam.

"Do we even know where we're going?" murmured Mike.  
"To the beach," replied Daniel.  
"I know that, but how do we know we're not lost?"  
"Because the sun is setting behind us. This way is east."  
They continued their trek for over an hour. Mike was right behind Daniel, keeping an eye out for any threats. He froze.  
"What was that?" asked Mike.  
"What was what?"  
Both scanned their surroundings.  
"I probably stepped on something," Daniel explained and continued to walk.  
Mike was not so convinced and kept himself alert as he followed. He heard a twig snapped and spun around.  
"Mike, calm down. Getting all worked up won't do you any good." A few seconds later, he stopped. "Mike?" He turned around and saw his comrade on the ground. "Mike?!" He ran to him.  
He was stumped to find him still awake, while the only part of him that moved here his darting eyes. His breathing was heavy and his alarmed face stared at something. As Daniel looked up to see what he was staring at, a flash of blue struck him on the chest. He took a step back in surprise, but his legs gave way and he fell. He tried to stop his fall, but his arms also failed him. Daniel found himself on the ground looking up at the canopy. It was when he tried to move that he discovered he was paralyzed. Panic set in as he feared this was the work of an unknown animal. He could hear the footsteps casually approaching him.  
A shadow was cast over them and they looked up to see a humanoid figure, nearly ten feet tall with a snake-like head. It was black with red highlights all along its body, and had what appeared to be a ponytail on the back of its head.  
"My, my, what do we have here?" She smiled. She bent over and held them in the air by their collars. "More organic freaks. But the answer I really seek is how valuable you are. You two look like you can't do much of anything, but I'm sure I'll find a good use for you."  
Daniel and Mike tried to speak, but found themselves sluring. The marines' feet dragged along the ground as she took them south. After nearly a half hour, they reached a campsite. There were more of her species, each one of them black with a colored highlight and appearing to be female. There were several cages on the opposite side, some holding ferocious animals. Two hound-like animals, with rows of spikes running down their backs, took note of their presence and growled at them.  
"Down boys," she ordered. She took them in a tent, where another woman with brown highlights was doing paper work. "Evete, I have more." She dropped them on the table.  
The other woman turned around and examined them. "Interesting," She told herself. She began to search the men, pulling everything out she could find. "Maps, a compass, weapons... and this thing." She held up the radio in curiosity.  
"Looks like they're after him too," the red one spat. "I hate competition." She then pulled out a knife.  
"Hold on, these maps don't match the island's topography at all."  
"What are you saying?"  
"I'm saying for now we should keep them for questioning. They might know something." The red one considered it for a moment. "Fine," she hissed. "And hurry up with that other one. Is it even dead yet?"  
"Passed away while you were gone. I can't wait to dissect it." Evete smiled as she held a scalpel.  
"You and your sick hobbies," the red Vortixx spat. She took the marines and threw them in a cage. "You better hope you're more valuable alive than dead."


	4. To Err is Human

*Over 17,000 years ago*

For once Xipher was enjoying being a Toa. Defeating a Tahtorahk was certainly a challenge, but getting recognition and appreciation from the village he helped saved made him feel good inside. He left the village with his brothers with a smile on his face. His sister took notice immediately.  
"Why the good mood?" Naromia asked.  
Xipher panicked a little, not wanting to admit what he was really feeling. "Uh, it's just a nice day." He lied.  
She raised an eyebrow. "It's cloudy."  
"But it's not raining."  
The Toa of Water rolled her eyes and smiled. "You're a horrible liar, you know that?"  
"Nope." He said with a smirk. "But just wait until the Turaga hears about this."

"Such recklessness!" Exclaimed the Turaga. "Such irresponsibility! Do you know what would happen if someone was in the way of that landslide?"  
"No one was in the way. I had it under control." Xipher protested.  
"That level of destruction is not what I would call 'under control'. Using force instead of thinking things through, aggressive behavior around your brothers and not using caution when needed. You fight more like a rahi than a Toa. I expect better from you next time." The village elder waved his hand, gesturing towards the door. Xipher cringed his teeth and stormed out of the hut.  
Outside, Naromia noticed him leave and followed him outside the village. She called out his name, but he continued his march. It was when she grabbed his arm that he spun around and shook her hand loose. He gave her a dirty look.  
"What?" he barked. She took a step back in surprise. His eyes widened and he looked down, taking a few breaths to calm down.  
"Sorry. Turaga is giving me a bad time… again."  
"About the usual?"  
He nodded.  
"You really should attend your lessons more often. Where exactly do you run off too?"  
Xipher's mouth struggled to spill the right words. "I-I just like to be alone. Where no one complains about me, ridicules me, or has some smart remark to make."  
"Sounds like you've had it rough as a Matoran. I hear you haven't always been the best behaved."  
"Yeah," he spat "I've tried to make up for it, but no one seems to have noticed. Even as a Toa, they still think I'm the same old Xipher." She placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "For some people, it takes a long time to realize if someone has changed."  
The Toa of stone let out a deep breath. "I know, but I just wish change was easier to notice."

* * * *  
"They must be out of range." Sam theorized.  
"Daniel, Mike, where are you?" Scott asked. He placed the radio up to his ear. There was no reply. "The beach can't be that far. Is there anyway to give out a stronger signal?"  
"Ask Daniel." Josh reminded.  
Frustrated, Scott sat down and stared at the ground.  
"What do we do?" asked Amanda.  
"Xipher has a good sense of smell. He could track them." Sam suggested.  
"But he doesn't want to be bothered." Said Scott. "We'll wait until morning and send a search party, but we'll stay in range of the plane."

* * *

Scott rested on a large rock. The amplifier for the radios was heavier than expected. Even with the longer range, the two-day search for Mike and Daniel has wound up fruitless. To make matters worse, two more have disappeared.  
"This doesn't make sense." He was quietly talking to himself, but Josh could hear what he was saying. "Four men gone. No blood, bones, sign of a struggle or anything left behind. It's like they just vanished."  
"Either they fell in the energy stuff, or they've been kidnapped."  
"Kidnapped?" Scott said with sarcasm. "Marines don't get kidnapped without a fight."  
"What if they were caught off guard? Xipher's pretty good at doing that."  
"You think he's behind this?"  
"Perhaps. He did say not to bother him didn't he? Maybe it's so no one finds out what he's up too."  
Scott lightly shook his head. "I don't think so. He's probably just spending another day hiding from that-" his eyes lit up in an epiphany. "The Vortixx!"  
"The what now?"  
"The woman Xipher accused us of being affiliated with. She's some kind of poacher that visits this island often."  
"So they're dead." muttered Josh.  
"I hope not, but we need to keep an open eye out for them." He pulled out the radio and talked into the speaker.  
"Guys, I think I know what's going on." He waited for a reply, but got static. "Michael, David are you there?" There was static for several seconds.  
Josh shrugged. "Maybe they're out of range."  
"Impossible, they can't be more than a few miles from us." Suddenly a voice came through.  
"I'm afraid Michael and David can't talk to you right now." The voice was sharp and feminine. Both were flabbergasted.  
"Where are they?" Scott demanded.  
"They're right here with me. Don't worry they're fine. As are the other four." Scott cringed his teeth.  
"So you're the one kidnapping my men."  
"I'm merely getting them out of my way. It's Xipher I want, and jugging how you and your friends are equipped, you're looking for him too." Scott and Josh gave each other looks.  
"What's an Xipher?" Scott lied.  
"Don't play games with me Scott." He was blow away at the response. "I know you two have crossed paths. So how about a trade? Xipher's location for the safe return of your brothers."  
Scott thought about it for a moment. "When and where should we meet?"  
"If Michael's sense of direction is right then we'll be meeting you in the northwest in a few hours. We'll see you then."  
"No, we'll see you." Josh mumbled to himself. "You're not really going to tell them are you?"  
"No. But we need to tell Xipher what's happening." He put his pack on and walked east.  
"There's no need to tell 'Mr. Personality'." Complained Josh. "He can take care of himself."

With all that he had left of his voice Scott called out Xipher's name one last time. He waited for a moment, but once again his call went unanswered. Frustrated, he sat down. His head sunk down as he rested it on his hands. Josh sat down behind him.  
"It's been an hour. Forget it, he doesn't want to see us." Josh tried to reason. "Besides, we can tell him when we're done with our little pen pall meeting."  
"That's the problem. I don't trust her. If she can capture six of us without a fight then there's no telling whether for not we can stop her." There was a moment of silence. Scott found it odd that Josh wasn't delivering a smart remark. Before he could turn around something struck him on the back. He lunged forward a bit startled, but it didn't hurt. It was quite the opposite. It was numbing. The sensation spread through his body faster than he could comprehend it all. His limp body could no longer hold itself up and he fell forward, landing face first into the ground.  
"You were right." Mocked the feminine voice. "You shouldn't trust me. But that's okay, I didn't trust you either." He felt a large hand grab his pack and lift him into the air. After being spun around he got a good look at his captor. From the corner of his eye he could see Josh being handled by another one of her kind.  
"I must admit I wasn't expecting a bunch of organic freaks. And jugging from your bodies you're a fragile race. So I'll make this simple: tell me where he is or you will see just how creative I am at killing you."  
"What makes you think I know where he is?"  
"Because according to your brothers: you are one of two who have been to his hideout." She hissed.  
"Well sorry to disappoint, but even if I did tell you, he doesn't want anything to do with you."  
She chuckled. "I really don't care what he wants. I'm just doing what's… _best_ for him."  
A growl filled the air. "And let me tell you what's best for you."  
She spun around, then looked up a near by tree. Xipher was perched on a branch, his pikes and ears pulled back. "You let them go and leave or else I'll have someone drag your body back to Sorza."  
The Vortixx smiled. "Do you really think _she_ is still after you? I have good news and bad news. Good news is she gave up and sold the information to me. Bad news is this is your last day of freedom." A launcher arose from her back and began to glow. A spinner of energy launched out. Xipher jumped off the branch before it struck and landed on the ground.  
"Do I even bother asking who my new 'friend's' name is?" He snarled.  
"Deskera, and believe me, you'll never forget it."  
The Toa smirked. "Sorry, I just did."  
She cringed her teeth and fired again. He jumped out the way and ran towards her, with blades drawn out. She dropped the Marine and drew out her sword.  
The two Humans watched in awe as Xipher and Deskera fought. Their styles were quite different. The Vortixx was light on her feet and making strategic strikes, while Xipher seemed to be fighting more like an animal, occasionally trying to bite her. At first the outcome seemed to be a draw, but Xipher's ferocity was beginning to give him an edge.  
He blocked her sword and kicked her in the stomach. She staggered back and tried to block a blow from him. But the angel she held the sword was poor and his blow knocked it out of her hands. Startled, she took a step back and found herself against a tree, with the points of Xipher's blades at her neck.  
"I'm only going to tell you this once: Get out! And never come back." He growled.  
"Fine." She spat. "But we're taking the Humans with us."  
"No you won't." he barked.  
"Aw, Are they you're pets?" she taunted.  
Xipher growled louder. Neither he nor the Humans noticed the other Vortixx readying her launcher and firing. Xipher was oblivious to it; His back turned towards them. Scott called out to warn him, but it was too late. The spinner struck him and a net of green energy began to surround him.  
He screeched and fell to the ground. The energy web held him flat against the ground. Even with all of his strength, Xipher couldn't force himself out, let alone get up on his hands and knees. It didn't take long for him to tire himself out. He let out three loud and deep bellows, that reverberated through the forest, before collapsing. Deskera smiled.  
"So much for the infamous Xipher."  
He replied with a deep growl. "Fine, you have me. Now set them free." He gestured his head towards Scott and Josh.  
"And let a new species be left undiscovered? I don't think so." Her assistant began to bound Scott and Josh's hands behind their backs. Deskera did the same to Xipher. Once tied up she deactivated the energy net. When it dissipated he could feel his strength slowly returning. He stood up and stumbled a little before Deskera brought his head up to face hers.  
"You're quite the specimen." She smiled. Xipher gave her a dirty look and jerked his head away. The Vortixx shrugged it off and walked around him. "I've heard so much about you. All of your 'heroic' deeds, your strength and power…" she hissed "and your habit of escapes. Sorza told me all about her attempts to capture you. I'm surprised she hasn't tried my approach."  
"Actually she caught me once in a similar way." He snapped. He felt himself getting stronger. A few more moments of delay and he'll be able to run off and they would never catch him. She walked behind him once more.  
"That wasn't what I was referring too."  
The Toa could hear something going on behind him, but couldn't see that she was changing launchers. Scott didn't waste anytime warning him.  
"Look out!"  
Xipher turned around and a purple spinner struck him on the chest. His body twitched and flexed, like he was being electrocuted, as pain surged though his body. The Toa felt metal inside him bending and twisting while his organic parts were crawling around him. The whole ordeal lasted for six seconds. After screaming over excruciating pain, Xipher felt it disappear as fast as it came. It took a few wobbled steps for him to notice he was considerably weaker. It wasn't that his energy was drained, since he could still stand. He felt like he simply never had his strength to begin with, and his armor felt unusually heavy. When his toes dug into the ground he realized something was wrong. His feet didn't feel right. In fact his whole body felt different. He looked up at the Humans, who looked back with gaped mouths and a mix of shock and horror on their faces.  
"What?" he barked.  
Deskera walked up and stood next to him. He turned, and noticed right away that although he was standing, he was looking at her waist. He looked up at the Vortixx, who had a big grin across her face.  
"What did you do?" he asked and took a few steps back.  
"Your bands are loose, see for yourself." She raised a hand and lightly shook it to make her point. He was hesitant at first, but did as she said. When he looked at his hands, his face he was confused at one moment, then it quickly transitioned into shock, and finally horror.  
"No. No. No, no, no, NOOO!" He repeated to himself as he frantically looked all over himself; feeling his arms and torso to see if this was even real. Then he felt his face and hair and screamed.  
"What have you done to me?" he looked up at the Vortixx. "What have you done!?" he screamed.  
"What do you think?" she spat with delight.  
"You change me back right now!" he demanded. He ran up and punched her in the knee. A sensitive place to strike, but it ended up hurting him instead. He cringed his teeth and cussed as he rubbed his throbbing hand.  
"How embarrassing." She smiled. "The great and powerful Xipher reduced to a mere Human. Don't worry I'll change you back. Right when it's time to sell you. By then you'll be bound by chains even you can't break apart."  
Xipher looked up at her and slowly stepped backwards, shaking his head in denial. He turned around and made a mad sprint towards a tree. He grabbed hold of the trunk and attempted to climb it. Having no claws and heavy armor weighing him down made his fall all the more humiliating. As he got on his hands and knees he heard the Vortixx walk up. He looked up to see her smiling as she held out a rope.  
"Told you this would be your last day of freedom."

* * *

Saber's ears perked up and she raised her head, scanning her surroundings. She could hear three faded bellows that could've only come from one person. She knew it was coming form Xipher, but the 'secret' message he was sending to her wasn't a good one: The Vortixx was back.  
He would never actually use that signal unless caught, which troubled her. While they both have had many successful escapes, she always feared the day neither one could get out. Part of her wanted to investigate, but she eventually talked herself into waiting a day, and then go looking for him.

* * *

"Evete, you're not going to believe who I caught today." Smiled Deskera as she tossed Xipher on the table. He laid there, curled up and moaning. Scott and Josh were also brought in and left on another table. Evete turned around and noticed Xipher first.  
"Is that who I think it is?" She held his face up and examined him. "Fascinating. An exact replica of a Human. He's a lot thinner than the others. Smaller too." She then had a wicked smile "This is going to be fun."  
Xipher gave her a dirty look. "There's nothing fun about throwing up the whole trip here!" He laid his head back and kept moaning,  
"Don't worry your sickness will wear off as you get used to your new body. Either that or she forgot an organ or two." She placed a finger on her chin. "Thinking about it I probably should check to make sure she got it right." She opened a bag and pulled various items out.  
Xipher got a quick look and noticed most of them were medical related. It was when she pulled out a scalpel and held it with pride that he got worried. "What are you doing?" he asked nervously.  
"Just a little 'examination'." She smiled, " Now if you could lay on your back so I can get to work."  
Xipher squirmed away from her. "No, no, no! You are not cutting me open!"  
"I have to make sure you don't die from being Human."  
"Then make me a Matoran or anything else that doesn't involve a dissection!"  
Deskera walked over and placed a hand on the table and leaned her weight on it. "Xipher, even compared to a Matoran, Humans are weak. They run out of energy too quickly, have only half the strength and must constantly find and consume energy to live. It's the perfect way to keep you out of trouble."  
He looked over at Scott and Josh. "Please tell me you have some kind of natural ability or power that can get us out of this." He pleaded.  
"Sorry," Shrugged Scott. "Even though I've never seen a Matoran, I don't think it's wrong to say that she's right about us."  
His eyes widened. He then noticed Deskera removing his armor and jerked away. She placed her hands on her hips.  
"You're not going to make this easy for us are you? Evete if you would?" The Vortixx readied her launcher and fired a spinner. Xipher braced himself, but didn't feel any pain. In fact he couldn't feel anything at all. The next thing he knew he fell to his side. Saliva was slowly oozing out of his mouth. Evete rolled him on his back.  
"Don't worry this will be quick."  
Xipher's eyes grew wide. He tried hard to yell at her, but only found himself drooling more.  
She raised her scalpel. "Relax, you wont feel a thing."  
"Leave him alone!" protested Scott. She didn't even bother to glance at him as she began with her procedure. "I said leave him alone!" He stood up and jumped to the other table. Deskera snatched him off and held him by the neck. She grabbed Josh as well and took them outside and to the cages, where she tossed them in and slammed the cage shut.  
"Great," Josh spat "now what?"  
Scott looked around. His six missing teammates were locked up in another cage, all appearing to be unharmed.  
"I-I don't know. The only ones who can get us out of this are Saber and the others."  
"I doubt they can do it." Murmured Mike. "They already have half of us. What's going to stop them from hunting down the rest?"  
Scott paused. "Give me some time to think."

Xipher had his arms around his bandaged stomach as he curled up in his cloak and moaned.  
"I see your examination went well." He looked up to see Deskera with a smug look on her face.  
"Shut up." He barked, but quickly coiled back and moaned again.  
She brought forth her hand and began to pet him on the head. "Poor Xipher." She mocked. "I bet you're in need of some medicine." He raised his head and saw a small vile in her hands filled with a purple liquid. Right as he reached out for it she pulled it back.  
"First you tell me where Saber and Vaptech are."  
He expressed a look of disgust. "I'd rather suffer." He hissed.  
She shrugged. "So be it." Grabbing him by his cloak she dragged him to the cage. She opened it and pushed him in. He laid face down on the ground moaning. Scott and Josh rushed over to him.  
"Xipher, you all right?" asked Scott.  
He slowly got on his hands and knees and looked him straight in the eyes. "You." He growled and threw himself at Scott and pushed him to the floor, then began to choke him. "This is your fault! If you meat bags hadn't come here none of this would've happened!"  
Josh grabbed hold of him and yanked him off.  
"We would be living our normal lives and out of danger!"  
Scott got on his feet and rubbed his neck. Xipher shook himself free and charged again. The marine's reflexes kicked in this time and he punched him in the face, sending him to the ground. The other Marines where shocked by what they had just seen. Everyone was silent.  
Xipher noticed an odd feeling in his nose and opened his eyes. He saw a small pool of blood on the floor. A drop then fell into the pool. He put his fingers across his face, then took them off to find blood on the tips. Then a throb of pain in his torso reminded him what really needed attention. He crawled to the corner of the cage and laid on his side, curled up. Scott gave a deep sigh and grabbed something behind him and brought it over.  
"Here, you'll need it." Xipher opened his eyes and saw a pair of clothes. "If you're going to be Human you might as well dress like one." The two helped bring him up and get his clothes on. When done they took a step back. Xipher examined himself. The outfit was too big and very baggy. His pants were longer than his legs, while the selves of his shirt almost reached the tips of his fingers.  
"You guys are horrible at making these the right size." He murmured. He looked over Scott and Josh to find that Mike had his shirt missing and Daniel was without pants. He heard some of the men yawning and from the corner of his eye the sun was setting. He grabbed his cloak and held it up.  
"Here, the nights can get chilly." He didn't bother looking as Scott brought the cloak to them. While the other six used it as a blanket he, Scott and Josh curled up together for warmth. As Xipher's heavy eyes closed he silently prayed to himself that Saber got his message: stay away.


	5. Viro Vaptech

*Over 17,000 years ago*  
"Hey, you're on time for once," scoffed the Toa of fire.  
Xipher gave him a dirty look.  
"Ease off," pleaded Naromia. "At least he's here."  
The Toa assembled in a secluded place not to far from their village. Evidence of their past training exercises lay in the piles of crushed rock, split a nd fallen trees, and the occasional scorch marks that littered the area.  
"You ready, rock head?" the Toa of water smirked.  
Xipher took his stance on the other side and cracked a smile. "Yep." A hand of stone suddenly erupted from the ground.  
She jumped out of the way before it could grab her. "Too slow," she mocked, and then drew out her water swords. They glowed and shot a powerful jet of water. A slab of stone came out of the ground and blocked the attack. He was pleased with his move, but realized he celebrated too soon. He leaned back right before a second stream of water shot past him. After staggering backwards, he summoned another hand.  
As Naromia was in a mid-air back flip, it grabbed her leg and yanked her to the ground. The Toa yelped in surprise. The hand dragged her leg partway into the ground and stopped. She cringed her teeth as she tried to pull herself free. While doing so, two feet came in her view. She looked up and saw Xipher with a fat grin across his face.  
"I'd yield if I were you," threatened Naromia  
The Toa of stone crossed his arms. "If I'm not mistaken, I just need to drag you in a few more feet to win, which is why I'm giving you the change to give up."  
It was her turn to have a wide smile. His quickly disappeared. Suddenly a large orb of water floating over him gave way. There was a giant splash followed by all laughter from all the other Toa. Naromia couldn't help but chuckle at the soaked Toa of stone, who appeared to be pondering over his blunder. The ground around her loosened and she pulled her leg out.  
"You might want to consider a different strategy next time," she smiled, "Because giving your enemy some time to make a move isn't a very good one."

The first thing Xipher did when he woke up was place his hands on his face. Human. So much for his bad dream theory. He let out a disappointed sigh and sat up. Although not as bad as yesterday, his stomach still hurt and he took his time moving around. After yawning and stretching, he looked over and saw all the other humans already up and whispering to each other. He couldn't make out what they were saying, yet their occasional glance for ease droppers hinted they didn't want him to know. It wasn't long until the Vortixx he now despised so much arrived.  
"Everyone sleep well?" she asked, with no sense of real concern. "I sure hope so because I need a volunteer to hunt down Saber and Vaptech. Preferably a certain 'Toa'."  
"Forget it," spat Xipher, "I'll never help you."  
"Believe me, I have ways of getting what I want," she smirked as she cracked a knuckle.  
"Perhaps a compromise."  
Both looked at Scott.  
"And what would that be?" Deskera asked.  
"I know where Saber is hiding. I can take you there, if you set us free."  
Xipher's eyes grew wide. "What in Mata Nui's name are you doing?!"  
Deskera tapped a finger on her chin. "Bring me to Saber first, then we'll see where this goes." She opened the cage and allowed the leader to walk out.  
"Scott, you son of Karzahni!" Placing an arm around his torso, Xipher groaned as he tried to stand up. "She won't make good on her promise. You know that!"  
"Yeah, but I need to do what's best for my men."  
"So you're betraying me. After all I helped you with," Xipher vented.  
"Sorry, it's nothing personal."  
Xipher watched as the two walked away. His deep angered breaths soon transitioned to worry. He knelt down as the though of either one of his friends coming back as a human began to scare him.  
Josh walked over and leaned his face close to Xipher's. "You know he's acting, right?" The former Toa gave him a dirty look. "I'm serious. He's taking them to our place, where we can fight them."  
Xipher dismissed his explanation and slowly walked to the farthest corner from the Humans and sat down. "Lies," he softly spoke to himself.

As midday drew near, Saber became more worried. It took all of her might to resist the temptation of calling out to him. It was okay to do so at night when it was harder for any enemies to see them, but that was hours away. From the canopy she gazed down. All of her senses were on full alert, ready to pick up anything that came from him. Still nothing. Dismayed, she felt it maybe necessary to get the Marines help.  
She recalled sensing Sam's presence close to her home and made her way there. When she got close she picked up her sent and followed it east. After traversing downhill she made it to a large creek and followed it up stream for several hundred yards before finding Sam and Amanda resting along the bank. But instead of receiving a warm welcome, Amanda aimed her gun at her. The being took a step back, startled.  
"What's going on?" she asked in confusion and worry.  
"You tell us," replied Amanda. "Where are they?"  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
Sam took a few steps forward. "For the last few days, our comrades have been disappearing. Four of them disappeared just yesterday. We believe Xipher has something to do with this."  
Saber's ears perked up. "You don't say. Xipher gave out a distress signal yesterday. I haven't seen him since. I was hoping you'd seen him."  
"We haven't," replied Amanda.  
"Think these events are connected?" Sam asked.  
"The only explanation would be that the Vortixx have returned," Saber replied with concern.  
"If that's the case, then we'll have to mobilize quickly." She pulled out the radio and called the campsite. There was no reply. She quietly swore under her breath. "We'll have to get back in range."  
The two got their gear on and made the trek back to camp. Saber followed from the canopy, staying alert for any sign of danger.  
As they drew near, Saber stopped and sniffed the air. Her eyes grew wide and she quietly called out for Sam. Both stopped and looked up.  
"Vortixx!" she whispered. "They're near by."  
They drew their guns and proceeded with caution. Only a small slope was left to go over. When they reached the top, they could see the osprey below. As they approached they noticed something wasn't right. It was quiet. It soon became obvious why. Everyone was gone. There were bullet casings on the ground, but not a single drop of blood was there. Crates and equipment were turned over and scattered across the site, while the charcoal in the campfire gave an idea of how long ago they left.  
Saber came down and smelled some of the items.  
"Vortixx," she gasped. "They were here."  
"Can you track anyone that might have escaped?" asked Amanda.  
"I can try."  
The two sat and watched Saber walk on all fours, walking around the camp and sniffing the air above the ground. She stood up and shook her head.  
"Great," spat Amanda. "How are we supposed to save everyone?"  
"We should be more focused on making sure we don't get captured," replied Sam. "Then we can figure out something."  
"Vaptech could help." Both gave Saber odd looks. "He's a friend of ours. Prefers to be alone on his own adventures."  
"Is there anyone else on this island that can help?" asked Amanda.  
Saber shook her head. "It's always been the three of us."  
Sam sighed. "This is problematic. We don't know how many Vortixx we're dealing with. And to go at this with just four people?" She took off her helmet and rubbed her forehead. "Lets just focus on surviving another night. We'll get Vaptech tomorrow and start our search."  
Saber nodded. "I'll call for him tonight."

_

Deskera came into the camp somewhat happy. Behind her, two Vortixx carried paralyzed marines while another escorted the remaining marines, bound by ropes. The men that were already captured gazed at the sight with wide eyes and gaping mouths. While their expressions pleased her, she noticed one Human was missing. Not sure whether to be worried or angry, she pushed Scott back in the cage and placed the rest in a larger one.  
"Evete!" she called as she walked to her partner's tent. She walked in and found her examining the Human. Playing was a better term as she was stroking his hair. "How is he?"  
"He's doing well. The wounds are healing slowly, but he'll make a full recovery. He's actually kind of cute this way," She turned his face towards her. "Especially when he's mad."  
Xipher cringed his teeth. "Just wait until I change back," he growled, "Then I'll show you mad." He sunk his head down as Deskera patted his head.  
"While I do enjoy seeing you two get along, I have a little problem. Today I went out in search of your friends. Instead, I come back with more Humans."  
Xipher looked at her with surprise. She leaned against the table.  
"Apparently, Scott was trying to lead me to his camp, where his men could save him," She hissed, but then grinned. "Too bad we caught some while they were scouting. They told us everything. Those at the camp never saw it coming." She then grabbed Xipher's arm and twisted it.  
He yelped and landed on his side, trying to rotate himself to stop the pain.  
"So, since I can't trust Scott, I'm going to ask you very nicely: where are they?"  
He gave her a dirty look. "Rot in Karzahni," he spat.  
The Vortixx frowned. "Wrong answer." She twisted his arm further.  
He closed his eyes and yelled louder.  
"I can do this all night if you want." She made her point by twisting it even more.  
Xipher was at the point of tearing up. "They're at a cave!" he cried. "Northeast of their camp."  
She let him go and allowed him to cradle his arm for a moment before pulling his head back by this hair.  
"Tomorrow, you'll show me," she hissed. She pulled him out of the tent and took him back into his cage. The new prisoners didn't recognize him until he cursed out something in Matoran. He noticed their ongoing stare and replied with a dirty look.  
"What?" he spat "It's not like you've never seen a Human before." He then turned to Scott. "I see your plan didn't work out. How are you going to save us now that everyone is behind bars?"  
"Not everyone," Scott shot back.  
Xipher looked around and realized who was missing. "They'll never do it," he scoffed. "And don't ask about Saber; she isn't the fighting type."  
"Don't be so quick to give up," said Mike. "They don't know about Sam and Amanda, so we still have a chance."  
Xipher crossed his arms and leaned against the bars. "I didn't say I gave up. I'm just being realistic. If anyone of them gets captured, it's over."

Saber cautiously walked through the forest. Morning had brought a welcome relief, but even after calling out, there was no reply from Vaptech. It worried her. Though he stayed mostly on the other side of the island, he visited on a regular basis. She then heard her name through the radio.  
"Any sign of him?" Sam asked.  
Saber pulled it out and took a moment to remember how it worked. "No," she replied.  
"Well, you need to hurry back. It's too risky to keep going."  
Saber quietly whimpered to herself. Not wanting to wait another day, she let out one more howl.

A shove from behind encouraged Xipher to keep walking. He was finding it difficult to move on the terrain in his current state, especially since he had been walking all morning and there was no sign Deskera was going to give him a break.  
It was the cry of an unknown creature that made everyone stop. The Vortixx were tense as they looked around for the source. They heard it again. Deskera noticed Xipher's eyes grew wide, then smiled.  
"They're close. Keep a sharp eye."

Saber leaped through the canopy, discouraged. Thoughts raced through her mind explaining what may have happened to him. The more she thought about it, the more it scared her.  
As she began her ascent up a ridge, she picked up the scent of Vortixx. She stopped and looked around. With caution she searched for her pursuers, hoping to figure out what they were up to. She soon found them down hill. In front of them was another human, but one she didn't recognize. They were approaching her, but she was so high up that no one noticed her presence. She was grateful about it, but her attention was suddenly redirected as a low bellow echoed. It was too soft for the Voritxx to hear, but she heard it clear as a bell.  
"Vaptech," she whispered. Calling out to him now was suicide. She had no choice but to wait for them to pass and run for it. But then it occurred to her that the hunting party was in a rush. They had a clear sense of where they were going. It soon occurred to her that they were heading for the camp. Before she could rethink her plan, a message came through the radio.  
"Hey, did you hear what we just heard? Please tell me that's you-"  
Saber turned it off in a panic, but it was too late. She froze as she realized the Vortixx were looking straight at her. The Human locked eyes with her and his mouth gaped open in horror.  
"Saber, run!" he yelled.  
"Xipher?!" she gasped.  
Suddenly the Vortixx drew their weapons and fired. She made a mad dash up the hill. Spinners and Kanoka disk shot and whizzed pass her, some missing her by inches. One clipped a large branch off in front of her, forcing her to move below the canopy.

Dissatisfied by their performance, Deskera changed her Rohtuka spinner and fired. The first one went over, while the second one would've hit her target had there not been a tree in the way. She took a deep breath and concentrated. Anticipating Saber's movement, she fired again. It silently traveled in the air and struck her in the back. Saber fell, hitting every branch along her way as she screamed her lungs out.  
"NO!" cried Xipher.

Saber lay on the ground moaning. Whatever pain the fall brought was muffled by the torment the spinner gave her. She slowly stood up and noticed something wasn't right. It was when she saw her hands that she screamed.  
"Saber!"  
She looked down hill at Xipher. "Don't stand there, RUN!" he pleaded.  
She didn't hesitate and ran up the hill. Even with a head start she was tiring out from the weight of her armor. She frantically pulled as much of it off as she could.  
"Hey, get back here!"  
Saber looked over and saw Xipher running in a different direction with half of the party after him. Two others made their way towards her.  
Saber was relieved to make it to the top of the ridge, but the Vortixx were catching up faster than anticipated. She went into a full sprint. Remembering the radio, she frisked herself, but couldn't find it. Panic immediately set in as she realized she lost it in the fall.  
"Sam! Vaptech!" she cried. She then attempted to climb a tree, but without her claws, she failed miserably. Looking back, she saw her pursuers catching up. She ran harder, choking up as the thought of capture became embedded in her mind. The hill began to slope downward and she found it to be relief to her tired body. However, her foot got caught on her cloak and she stumbled a few steps before tumbling down the hill.  
She rolled halfway down the hill before she was able to stop. She slowly stood up, ignoring the scuffs and scratches, and ran. The forest turned to brushes as she approached a large stream and ran across. She let out a yelp as the freezing cold water reached up to her chest, but refused to let it deter her. Once crossed, another incline was all that separated her from help, but it was higher than the last one. As she ran up she let out several more cries for help, which went unanswered.  
Her ascent uphill was quickly getting slower. Saber panted heavily while her legs wobbled. She got back on her feet several times, only to take a few steps before collapsing. She could hear the Vortixx right behind and turned around.  
"Go away," she choked while a tear rolled down her cheek.  
They showed no sign of slowing. Saber let out on final cry.  
"Vaptech!" she cried.  
Suddenly, a roar from behind startled her. The Vortixx couldn't react in time as a figure jumped over her and knocked one of them off their feet. The other fired a spinner, but the newcomer jumped out of the way, leaving her partner to take the blow. The being grabbed her and tore her launcher off, then threw her against a tree. There was a moss-covered log next to the creature. As the Vortixx charged, the powerful being picked the log up and swung, striking her on the side and sending her flying down the hill.  
The creature panted, then tossed the log aside and faced Saber. His head was more geometric, with a sky blue crest extending out the back. Despite the difference, the lack of a cloak showed that the rest of his body shared the same characteristics as Xipher and Saber.  
"Vaptech," She weakly smiled.  
The white and gray being looked at her with surprise. "Saber? What in Mata Nui's name happened to you?"  
"The Vortixx. They have Xipher and turned us into Humans."  
He tilted his head and then sniffed the air around her. "Wait, I've smelled this somewhere."  
The moan of the laying Vortixx startled them. Saber tugged on his arm.  
"Vaptech, we have to go," she pleaded.  
"Why? I can take them."  
"No! If you get turned into a Human, it's over!"  
"And just where would you have us run to?" he scoffed.  
She pointed up the hill. "There's a camp on the other side of this ridge. Two Humans should be there."  
He picked her up and scaled the slope with little effort. They soon reached the camp, where the Humans were surprised at their presence.  
"Sam," cried Saber, "we have to go."  
"Wait, what?" Sam was too flabbergasted to utter a complete sentence. "Saber! You- you're Human!"  
"I don't have time to explain. The Vortixx will be coming soon. Get what you can and get out."  
The two wasted no time and packed their rations, ammo and any other gear they could carry.  
"Okay,"said Sam, "but where too?"

"You son of a Barakas," Deskera spat. She leaned a little more weight on her foot, where Xipher laid groaning under the stress. "Did you really think you could outrun me? You're pathetic."  
"I wasn't trying to outrun you," he gasped. "Just buying her time."  
She was not amused at his reply. "What makes you think all of us would go after you at once?"  
He looked over and noticed two Vortixx missing.  
She took her foot off. "Admit it: You lost."  
"Vaptech is still out there and he's always on the move. You'll never find him," he growled.  
"I don't need too. I studied Sorza's failures, remember? Vaptech likes to take the battle to his enemies. Why go looking when I can just wait for him to come to me?"  
Xipher cringed his teeth. He knew she was right. Soon he would be reunited with Saber in a cage and there was no telling when Vaptech would show up. He stood up and was greeted with another push to start moving.

Getting to Vaptech's place of refuge required traversing through a small and narrow canyon carved out by a stream. There were sections where they had to tread through water that reached their knees in some places. They soon reached an area where the canyon opened up. Fifty yards away was a punch-bowl waterfall over eighty feet high. To the right was a river rock and pebble beach with a massive slab of stone jutting out of the cliff face. It was covered in moss on the top with ivy and vines weaving up and down the face.  
It was when Vaptech moved the curtain of foliage did they realize it was cave. When inside, they were impressed. While nowhere as big as Xipher's home, it was large enough to store two double decker buses. While they unpacked, Sam pulled out a uniform and underwear and gave them to Saber.  
"Change into these."  
Saber looked at them for a moment before taking off her cloak.  
Amanda stopped her right before she took off her chest armor. "Could you give us a moment?"  
Vaptech tilted his head to the side.  
"It's a Human thing," She explained, showing an awkward smile.

Saber stared at her reflection while Amanda tied her hair into a ponytail. She never realized how long it was until now. Even when tied back it reached down to her ankles. The marine pulled out a knife and brought it up to her hair. Saber moved her head away.  
"Don't worry, it won't hurt." Amanda twirled the hair in her fingers before turning her head back at her.  
Saber closed her eyes, but only felt a slight yank. The tension on her hair disappeared and her hair moved back in place. Turning her head around, she saw her long lock of hair with the bow still attached. Amanda let out a sheepish smile.  
"It grows back, if you ever stay Human long enough.  
Saber returned the same smile. Her attention was suddenly redirected as her stomach experienced another churning feeling. She moaned.  
"You okay?"  
"I don't know," she whimpered. "I've been feeling this way since I became Human."  
"Are you sure you're not just hungry?" asked Sam.  
Saber nodded.  
"Then you should go lie down."  
Saber did so and as she walked to the cave she placed her hand on her stomach. The other was placed on a boulder and she leaned her weight against it. She took a few deep breaths while trying to hold something in. She soon lost and drew everyone's attention as she threw up.  
She placed a hand over her mouth in shock. Sam came over and held her close for comfort as she started to tear up.  
"What's wrong with me?"  
"It's probably a side effect. You're not used to your new body." Sam then escorted her inside and laid her down.  
Saber pulled the sleeping bag tightly around her and continued to cry. Sam wasn't sure what to do and began to walk out.  
"Sam."  
She stopped.  
"Thank you," whispered Saber. "For your help."  
Sam looked back and acknowledged with a light nod and left. She sat down with Amanda and Vaptech around the campfire.  
"Tell me we have some kind of plan," spoke Amanda.  
"Simple: we go in, rescue Xipher, and change them back," Vaptech said with pride.  
Sam folded her arms. "That's the worst thought out plan ever," she scoffed. "We don't even know where their camp is."  
"I do."  
The girls gave him surprised looks.  
"Since when?" asked Amanda.  
"About two days ago."  
"And you never told anyone because?"  
"They were all over the place. Try finding two friends in a forest on an island without hollering."  
Amanda looked over at Sam, who was staring into the fire. "Something on your mind?" Sam blinked a few times as her trance broke and she looked up to Vaptech. "How far away is the camp?"  
"At least a half day's walk. Why?"  
Sam looked at the cliff face. The shadow of the trees had risen almost to the top. "I say we get what rest we can and leave early tonight. Those Vortixx are going to get a rude awakening."

"What do you mean you lost her?!" yelled Deskera. "Vaptech!?"  
Xipher sat with his back against the bars, picking up small bits of her conversation. The news of her escape gave him relief. However, Scott and the others didn't share the same feeling.  
"So, Vaptech finally showed himself." Said Scott.  
Xipher was quiet at first. "It was foolish of him to, but I am grateful he did."  
"You really care about them, don't you?" asked Mike.  
Xipher sighed. "Saber and Vaptech are all I have."  
Scott moved himself closer  
"What happened?"  
Xipher was quiet for a moment. He brought his legs up and rested his head on them. "I don't want to talk about it," He said coldly while he stared at he floor.  
"You sure?"  
Xipher didn't answer. To end the awkward silence, Scott made the call for everyone to go to bed. Xipher stayed where he was until it got too cold. They were finally given blankets, but they were thin and did little, if anything, to keep them warm. He wrapped himself in one and decided not to sleep next to the others. It took a half hour of shivering to change his mind.


	6. Rescue

*Around 17,000 years ago*

"Get down!" shouted Terun.  
Xipher did so and in time to avoid getting struck by a flying boulder. "You know you're throwing stone at a Toa of stone, right?" he remarked. He stretched forth a hand and summoned a tower of stone underneath the Skakdi's feet.  
It launched him several yards into the air, where he landed on the steep and rocky slope above.  
"You couldn't of just grabbed him?" shot the Toa of fire.  
"You've got to rough them up first. Make them too tired to fight back," Xipher replied.  
The red Skakdi slowly got back up. "You two know you're a thorn on my side, right?" He snapped back before firing a lava launcher at them.  
The Toa took off in different directions.  
"Got any ideas of your own?" barked Xipher as he hid behind a large boulder. He flinched as another sphere of lava shot overhead.  
"Well, fire power is out of the question," Terun replied. He dove behind a nearby boulder. "On second thought, you should rough him up a bit."  
The Toa of stone grinned. He placed both hands on the ground, closed his eyes, and concentrated. Soon, cracking sounds echoed from above. The Toa of fire had his back against the boulder and saw pebbles roll down the hill. The pebbles were followed by rocks, and then boulders. Then he saw the Skakdi tumbling along in the middle of the avalanche. The landslide slowly came to a stop.  
The Toa got up and traversed through the rubble until they reached the moaning Skakdi. He raised his head and got a good look at the Toa before quickly laying it back down.  
"Well," said Xipher, "Looks like things went down hill for him."  
His brother rolled his eyes. Xipher let out a mile of satisfaction, which was then answered with a light punch to the shoulder.  
"Just help me get him to the fortress."

Even at the crack of dawn, Sam and Amanda still needed their night vision goggles, while Vaptech's pupils had taken on the shape of cross-hairs. The Vortixx camp was well within their sights.  
"Alright Amanda," Sam cued.  
Amanda left their hiding place and silently paced herself to the camp, staying low and keeping her gun up. The sound of snoring became evident when she reached the first tent. Cautiously, she crept through the camp, pointing her gun at each door she passed. Soon she found what she was looking for: Several large cages, three of which held her comrades.  
The first part of her job was done. She soon made a full circle of the camp. As she was leaving, she heard a low rumble and froze. Looking to her right, the hairs on the back of her neck rose at the sight of two large dog-like creatures, each nearly the size of a small bear. She took extra precaution tiptoeing past the sleeping giants and soon made it back to her team.  
"Well?" whispered Sam.  
"There's six tents. Scott and the others are on the other side in a cage and there are several crates on the left side of camp, guarded by two large dogs, and I mean BIG." She clarified with her arms spread out.  
"Ideas?" asked Vaptech.  
"It's you and Saber they're after. When dawn approaches, Saber will go in and draw their attention. As they chase her up that hill, Vaptech and I will go in and free the others. Amanda, I want you on top and out of view. You will be watching over and defending Saber. Remember not to kill them. We need the one responsible for what happened to Saber alive." She then faced Saber. "I want you to be wandering around the camp until they wake up. When they see you, run. Think you can do this?"  
Saber was hesitant as she lightly nodded.

Light was beginning to pour though the canopy. Saber could feel her heart race as she slowly tiptoed through the campsite. Every rustle and non-snoring sound from the tents made her flinch. Each time, she stayed still for a moment before reassuring herself and kept moving. Halfway through the camp she saw the cages. Without a second thought, she ran to them. But her sprint was cut short as she tripped on a tent rope. She gave a silent yelp as she fell.  
Keeping still, she looked round to make sure nobody woke up. She got back on her feet and continued running. Once there, she looked around for Xipher. All of them looked the same to her, until she noticed one with hair, much longer than the others.  
"Xipher," she whispered. "Xipher!"  
He stirred in his blanket before slowly opening his eyes. When his vision cleared, his eyes grew wide. "Saber!" he whispered. He scurried out of his blanket and crawled to the bars. "What in Mata Nui's name are you doing here?!"  
She got down on her knees to meet eyes with him. "We're going to rescue you."  
"Rescue?! No, no, no. You need to leave. They'll wake up any minute now and-"  
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. We have a plan," she smiled.  
"But-"  
Saber raised a finger to cut him off. "As long as I do my part, the plan should go fine."  
Suddenly there was a blue flash. Xipher flinched. In a second, Saber's smile was replaced with fear as she fell backwards. Behind her was Evete, partially hidden behind a tent.  
"No," Xipher gasped.  
"I thought I heard something," smiled Evete. She strolled over and looked down at Saber. "So you're planning a rescue mission. Care to fill me in on the details?"  
Saber replied with muffled speech.  
The Vortixx knelt down and played with her hair. "Don't worry, it'll wear off in a few minutes. Then a little dissection should get you to talk."  
"No!" Xipher yelled. Everyone in the cages woke up startled. "Leave her alone!" he cried as he reached out to Saber.  
Soon everyone else in camp emerged from their rest.  
"What's going on?" Deskera hissed as she rubbed her eyes.  
Evete held up her prize with a smile. "Look who I caught."

"This can't be happening." Sam then talked into the radio. "Amanda, do something."  
"I can't get a visual," she replied.  
"Well this is great," Vaptech spat and threw his hands into the air. "We just handed her over. What now?"  
Sam thought about it for a moment. "We'll have to change the bait."

A rip followed by a scream was what Deskera heard before seeing Vaptech run right past her with Saber in his arms. All of the Vortixx were stunned at such a bold move, but quickly recomposed themselves and grabbed their weapons. The dogs barked, while the Vortixx pursued and fired their weapons. Vaptech changed directions as often and random as he could. He suddenly yelped as spinner struck his back, releasing an energy web that engulfed him. As he fell, he made sure not to crush Saber. All the Vortixx cheered, but when they began to run up the hill, the sound of thunder echoed through the forest. They all stopped and were startled as one Vortixx fell down, screaming as she cradled her leg. Another one soon screamed while holding her shoulder. The other Vortixx immediately took cover behind trees and tried to find the source of the sound.  
From within the camp, Deskera watched the scene unfold into a conflict and cringed her teeth.  
Evete came out of the tent, cradling her right hand. "That spawn of the pit," she spat. "I'll make sure he feels every slice of my scalpel."  
"We'll worry about that later. I need you to release the hounds."  
"What about you?"  
"I'm staying. Something about this doesn't add up." In the midst of the chaos, she heard another gun shot. What got her attention wasn't the sound, but how uncomfortably close it was. She cringed her teeth and looked back.  
"I should've known," she growled to herself.

Sam removed the broken lock and opened the cage. "Where's your gear?" she asked.  
"We don't know," Scott replied as he, Josh and Xipher walked out of the cage.  
"Go find them. We need all the firepower we can get."  
"But first you have to get through her!" Xipher pushed Sam out of the way in time to miss a Rhotuka spinner.  
"Should've known there'd be more of you freaks," The Vortixx spat.  
Sam kept her gun aimed at her as she sidestepped towards a tent. "Is this the woman you've been talking about?"  
"She is now," Xipher replied. He then noticed something from the corner of his eye. "Move!"  
Everyone scattered as a blue spinner whizzed past. Sam regrouped with Xipher and pulled him into a tent. They went to the other side and crawled out from under the canvas.  
"Xipher," she whispered, "Think you can help Scott and Josh look for their gear, while I keep those two distracted?"  
He nodded. "Be careful around Deskera," he warned. "She's the one who made me this."  
Sam didn't get the chance to acknowledge as Xipher ran to avoid being seen by the Vortixx leader. "Hey, snake face!" she shouted, "I have something for you." She took aim at her legs and fired.  
Deskera yelped as she sprung out of the way. "You little brat!" she hissed.  
Sam wasted no time and ran between two tents. As she made her way out, she was met with a sucker punch to the side. The blow sent her off her feet and flying several yards before landing flat on her back. She gasped for air as another Vortixx came up and pressed her foot on her.  
"Having problems breathing?" Evete said bitterly. "Here, let me help."  
Sam gave off a sound that was a mix of gasping and screaming as the Vortixx leaned her weight on her.  
"Evete," Deskera called out, "Find the others. I'll deal with her."  
Evete took Sam's gun away and ran to a nearby tent. Sam put an arm around her chest as she slowly sat up.  
"Aren't you a stubborn little human," Deskera hissed. "A few training lessons and you'll be a more decent pet."  
"Is that why you're after him? To be your lap dog?" snapped Sam.  
"No. It's what he _is_ that's so desirable. I know a few people willing to pay top dollar for the infamous legend. What they do with him, I could care less."  
Sam finally got on her feet and staggered a bit. "It's too bad it would be your only payday."  
Deskera raised an eyebrow. "What are you implying?"  
"There's only three to sell. Once gone, there's no other 'game' valuable enough to make you that much money."  
The Vortixx thought about it for a moment. "True." Then she tilted her head in amusement, "But who said I can't 'make' more?" From her back, a Rhotuka launcher rose up and began to glow.  
Sam took a step back, her face lit with realization. "You wouldn't dare," she gasped.  
"Have to test it on a Human sooner or later," Deskera replied with a wide grin.  
Sam stepped backwards before turning around and making a run for it. The Vortixx aimed her spinner and fired.

"There's nothing here!" whispered Josh as he closed another crate.  
"Keep looking," ordered Scott.  
Xipher pillaged trough several boxes, tipping each one over to empty its contents. "Found one." He picked up the AR-15 and handed it to Josh.  
"Here's two more." Scott cradled the rifles and motioned his head towards the cages. Xipher followed them as they made their way around the camp. His reflexes ordered him to jump back when Evete ran at them from the side and knocked Josh off his feet. Scott kept running and made a full sprint to the cages, while Xipher hid behind a tent.  
"Oh, hey snake face," smiled Josh. "How about you and I do some tango?" He aimed the gun at her feet and fired.  
She jumped to the side and cursed under her breath. As Josh kept her busy, Xipher ran to the other side of the tent, but stopped when he saw Sam and Deskera conversing. Sam looked badly hurt as she stood her ground. She threw comments at the Vortixx about her plans for him. He wasn't sure if she was stalling her or getting information, but it astounded him that she had the guts to stand up in her predicament. But that astonishment changed when Sam took a step back as Deskera's Rhotuka glowed. His eyes widened. It was obvious she wouldn't get out of the way in time. She would become just like him. That thought echoed in his mind until his eyes light up in an epiphany, but he would have to time it just right.  
Right as the spinner launched, he sprinted right into its path. Deskera's eyes widened in shock as she realized what she had done. Sam stopped and turned around to see Xipher screaming while his body began to rearrange itself; spikes ripping out the back of his shirt while the rest was torn apart from his growth. Deskera was in panic while recharging her spinner. Before she could get another one ready, Xipher let out a roar and pounced on her. He pushed her back and pinned her shoulders to the ground.  
Sam watched the two resettle each other. Xipher was doing a decent job keeping her from using her launcher, until she got her legs under and launched him over her. As she got on her feet, Xipher ran inside one of the tents. She readied her spinner and turned in all directions, expecting him to come from behind. Then she turned to Sam.  
The Human took a step back and ran into the closest tent, where she hid under a table full of boxes and stone tablets with writing on them. She heard the approaching Vortixx and froze as she entered. Her heart raced as she watched her walk over to the table she was under. She quietly crawled back a bit and hit something. The object tilted and she spun around to catch it. But one good look at the contents and she screamed. By the time she covered her mouth, it was too late. A hand grabbed her by the collar and she was yanked out. Before she knew it, she was laying on top of the table with a knife to her neck.  
"You spawn of Karzahni!" Deskera spat. "When this is over, I'll mount you on a wall!"  
"Like what you're about to do with Turner!?" she cried.  
The Vortixx leaned to her side to view the glass container, and then straightened back up. "I think of him more as a donation to science."  
Sam gave a look of disgust.  
"Don't worry, he died somewhat painlessly. But I don't care how much pain you feel as you die!"  
Suddenly, there was a roar as Xipher ran through the door and grabbed Deskera. She was knocked off her feet and both rolled out the other side, taking the tent down with them. It took over a minute for the Vortixx to squirm her way out, but once she was able to stand, she was surprised to see several guns aimed at her. Behind the men was Evete, kneeling on the ground with her only hand behind her head and two marines right behind her. Deskera hissed angrily, but froze when she felt a blade against the back of her neck.  
"Deskera," Xipher growled, "It's time we discussed the terms of your surrender."  
"I'm listening," she replied with distaste.  
"First, you change Saber back, then you leave this place and never return."  
Deskera replied slowly and with teeth clenched together, "Very well."  
"And you leave Turner's remains behind," ordered Sam. "All of them."

Perched on a log, Xipher watched the Vortixx load their last supplies on the boat, while the Marines watched over like hawks. He could hear Josh talking to Evete in a strange way. She replied by mentioning something about preferring being bitten by a Doom Viper instead. The Human chuckled to himself as she marched away. When the last Vortixx oared their way to the ship, he gave a sigh of relief. Saber walked up and handed over his cloak.  
His spikes folded back and he threw it around his neck and tied it on. He noticed Saber looking at the ground.  
"Yes?"  
The perked up and made eye contact. "The Humans," she said softly.  
Both looked at the Marines, who were walking along the edge of the forest, looking for a suitable place to camp.  
"We owe them our gratitude."  
"But?" he asked, expecting something he wouldn't like.  
"But, I ask that you reconsider. They've proven they have no quarrel with you. What they've said is true. Let them leave. They need to go home."  
Xipher immediately turned his head away. "No," he said coldly.  
"Why not?"  
"Even with their technology, they wouldn't survive long out there. They probably couldn't beat an injured Matoran in a fistfight. Besides, just how are they going to find their way home? Even they don't know how they got here."  
Saber paused for a moment. "Why here anyway?"  
Xipher was surprised at the question.  
"I mean, of all the islands to teleport an alien race, they're dropped here. Doesn't that concern you?"  
He thought about it for a moment.  
"Xipher, someone knows they're here and they'll come looking for them."  
"We don't know that. It could just be an accident. Maybe they were meant to come to this world, but the coordinates were put in wrong."  
"And if it isn't?"  
He didn't answer.  
"Well, I'm going to help." Saber marched off towards the Marines.  
His eyes followed her for a bit before looking back at the ocean. His ears turned back, picking up someone trying to silently walk past him.  
"Leaving already?" Xipher asked coldly.  
Vaptech stopped as though caught in the act and looked back. "You know me," he smiled, "Never around for too long. Besides, I got enough 'personal' time with them. You however, should get some more, especially if you're going to keep them here," he joked, and then left.  
At first, Xipher rolled his eyes at the idea, but it soon occurred to him that if he was going to keep his new 'neighbors' here, he would have to get to know them sooner or later. He let out a sigh.  
"Fine," he grumbled to himself. "A few days, but that's it."

"What do you think?" asked Scott.  
Xipher gave the structure a quick look over. It was nothing more than a frame, four thick branches sticking out of the ground with a slanted roof and a raised floor. He grabbed one of the branches and leaned some of his weight on it.  
"It'll do."  
Josh sat down and lay against a tree. "Well, I don't know about you, but I think we should take a break."  
The Marines showed their agreement by sitting on the logs they assembled around their campfire.  
"You really tire out, don't you?" Xipher asked. "How do you even survive as a species?"  
"Well, it helps when we're not against giant, half-robotic beings," snapped Josh.  
Xipher shot back an un-amused glare. "I noticed."  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
"Nothing. Just that without your little 'tools', you wouldn't stand a chance."  
Josh let out a fake smile. "Well then, how about you put your money where your mouth is."  
Xipher raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"  
"That's just what I was wondering," said Scott.  
"I'm not. Oscar here is known back home as K.O. McGuire. He'll take anyone out in one punch."  
"Oh no! You are not getting me involved in this," Oscar protested.  
Josh brought his hands in front, with palms facing out. "I know. I'm just saying if you wanted to, you could." He stood up and walked onto the beach.  
"I really think you shouldn't do this," protested Scott.  
"Oh, just let him get beaten up," said Daniel as he carved out a skewer. "It might be entertaining."  
Xipher walked over and stared down the human. Josh raised his fist and began to lightly hop from side to side while he made mock punches at him.  
"What are you doing?" Xipher asked with confusion.  
"Warming up."  
"You're acting like a drunk Yukin rabbit."  
"It's called boxing. It's a fighting style back home," explained Scott.  
"Ah." Xipher paused. Then, in a split second a hand shot through the cloak and pushed Josh by the chest and sent him stumbling backwards until he fell down.  
He took a moment to recover from the blow. "I wasn't ready."  
"You weren't ready for Deskera either."  
"Neither were you," he shot back.  
Xipher growled. Josh stood back up and tried again. This time, he was able to make a legitimate swing at him, but was met with a hand holding him firm on the shoulder. Showing no effort, Xipher pushed him back to the ground. Some of the men chuckled. Not wanting this to be a total loss, he delivered a kick. He got him right on the shin, but it was solid metal. Everyone burst into laughter as Josh hollered and cradled his foot.  
Xipher looked down with some amusement. "So, what have we learned?" he smirked.  
"Two people would be better than one," Josh spat as he got up.  
"Even when combined, you can't take me down," Xipher decreed.  
"Hmm. Challenge accepted," smiled Scott.  
"You can't be serious," moaned Daniel.  
"Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"  
"You'd be bed ridden for days," replied Oscar. "And I aint fixing anyone tonight for rough-housing."  
"You can save it for latter," spoke Sam.  
Everyone turned around. She, Mike, and Saber came walking back to the camp with shovels in their hands. "We're ready when you are."  
As if on cue, everyone got up and walked up the beach until they reached a large boulder jutting out of the ground where the sand and forest met. Turner's name was carved onto the rock along with his date of birth and the assumed date of his death. The Marines formed a semi-circle around the grave. Xipher and Saber stood several feet back, looking unsure of just what was going on.  
Scott cleared his throat and spoke up. "It's unfortunate Turner had to die under such horrible circumstances. Losing six of our brothers the day we came here was bad enough. All this happening on our first day of duty only adds salt to the wound."  
Xipher's jaw dropped halfway.  
"But we hope that regardless of what world they died in, they have gone to a better place."  
Mike walked up to the grave and placed the barrel end of Turners gun into the ground, making sure it stood vertical. He then rested Turner's helmet on top and his boots at the base. He stepped back and slowly saluted. The rest of the Marines did the same. For a minute they stood at attention before they ended their ceremony and began their walk back to camp. Xipher remained still, while his ears and spikes pulled back. When Scott was about to pass him, he spoke in a soft manner.  
"I-I had no idea."  
Scott looked up at the Toa. "It's not your fault. I just hope we make it home to tell their families."  
The remark made Xipher ears pull down. As Scott and the others left, he continued to stare at the grave.  
"Xipher?" He snapped out of his trance and turned around. "You coming?" Sam asked.  
"Yeah." He took a few steps and looked back at the grave before continuing on.

The lack of attention on him while they ate gave Xipher the hint they were much more comfortable with his presence. He took a large fruit and placed it up to his mouth, where it dissolved into energy that was then absorbed. Sam watched with her mouth gaped in amazement.  
"So," Scott said casually as he finished his dinner, "You obviously got a little 'personal time' with us those last few days, but now that we're out of any real danger, perhaps we can get to know each other better."  
"Oh, really?" Xipher's tone showed he had no interest.  
Saber's ears went down as she gave a worried look at her companion. Everyone was quiet as they pondered. It was Sam who finally spoke up.  
"What's it like out there?" She looked out towards the ocean.  
"Depends on where you go. Each island has its own unique species, but Matoran are the most dominant. You can find them just about anywhere."  
"What do they look like?" Mike asked.  
Xipher shrugged, and then held the palm of his hand a few feet above the ground. "They're around this height, with long arms and large hands, not to mention short legs. Each has a color to signify what element-type they are and wear a mask."  
"Why?" Josh asked before taking a drink.  
Xipher thought about it for a moment. "I don't really remember. It's been a few thousand years since I've last seen one."  
Josh stopped himself hallway through his drink, coughing some of it back into the cup. "Wait, how long?" he half gasped, half choked.  
Xipher cocked an eyebrow. "What does it matter?" He soon became a little dumbfounded as everyone gave him and Saber looks.  
"Just how old exactly are you guys?" asked Sam.  
The two looked at each other.  
"Well, I'm at least 80,000 years old," answered Xipher.  
"And I don't really remember," Saber said with embarrassment.  
The Humans' faces lit up with shock and awe.  
"You guys are dinosaurs!" blurted Josh.  
"A what?" Xipher asked.  
"It's a reference to something that's old," Daniel explained. "It's also a type of creature that went extinct in our world several million years ago."  
"But you can't be that young," Saber protested. "How old are you guys, in your mid 40,000?"  
"Try late teens and early twenty's," Sam replied with a weak smile. "And I'm not referring to thousands of years."  
The two Toa gave each other astounded looks.  
"Aren't you a little young to be warriors?" Saber asked.  
"Not really," replied Sam.  
"I assume then that you're all rookies," Xipher spoke flatly.  
Scott nodded.  
"Great," Xipher spat to himself. "That explains quite a bit."  
"What's that suppose to mean?" Josh resented.  
"I'm referring to our ordeal with Deskera," he snapped.  
"Speaking of Deskera, would you care to explain why she was after you?" Sam asked.  
The Toa paused for a moment. "I thought she answered that for you," replied Xipher.  
"She told me her incentive, not why everyone else wanted you so badly."  
Xipher's ears went down and he rubbed his shoulder. "I suppose it has something to do with what I am,"  
"Are you guys the last Toa or something?" theorized Scott.  
"No. There's plenty of Toa out there. We're just… a unique type, kind of like you." He looked at the sunset, and then stood up. "I think it's time we get home."  
"You can sleep with us if you want," Scott said warmly. "It is a long way back."  
"Thanks, but no thanks." Xipher began to walk into the forest. "I'll be back tomorrow to check up on you."  
"Xipher," called out Saber.  
He stopped and looked over his shoulder and saw her large, pleading eyes. He let out a frustrated sigh and brought his head down. "Fine. But just for tonight."


	7. The Village

M.I.A. Ch 7

*Over 17,000 years ago*  
"So Hakann, care to explain this?" Said Terun. The Toa of fire toyed with the vial which was filled with a transparent, sickly green liquid.  
The Skakdi's hideous smile grew wide. "Wouldn't you like to know."  
Xipher placed his hands on the table. "We know you're not the smuggling type, so why the big risk?"  
Hakann leaned back against his chair. "It pays well, why else?"  
"That doesn't surprise me." Xipher spat as he took his turn examining the vial.  
Terun then spoke. "Just who paid you and where are you taking this to?"  
The Skakdi shrugged. "Don't know, don't care, so long as I'm getting paid." He then smiled and raised his cuffed hands. "Although, if you want, I'm more than willing to give you guys a cut if you let me out."  
Xipher gripped the vial firmly and gave a cold glare. "Forget it."  
"Oh that's right, you're 'great and noble' Toa. I almost feel sorry for you. So caught up in the spoils of fame that you cannot see the shadows behind the shadows."  
"What's that supposed to mean?" said the Toa of fire.  
Suddenly both Toa felt a surge of needle-like pain penetrate their minds. They placed their hands on their heads and screamed. The Skakdi stood up and grinned as his cuffs glowed bright red. With one good pull, he yanked the chains apart. He shot another barrage of mental bullets at the Toa. His faced beamed with pleasure as they collapsed under their buckling knees.  
So focused on his mental pain, Xipher didn't notice how tight his grip was until the vial shattered, spraying the liquid all over him. Hakann cursed under his breath. The Skakdi then heard the sound of Toa approaching.  
"Guess I'll have to kill you some other time." he growled.  
His eyes glowed red and a beam of heat shot out, blowing a large chunk out of the wall. He ran out, leaving the Toa half conscious.  
"Xipher! Terun!" cried Naromia as she ran in.  
Xipher moaned and opened his eyes. "Oh my head."  
Slowly he sat up. When his hand lightly brushed the floor he hissed and pulled his hand back.  
Naromia noticed the shards of glass embedded in his hand. "Brothers, are you alright?"  
"I'm fine," spat the Toa of fire as he got up.  
"Same here," replied Xipher, who then hissed after trying to remove a shard.  
"Here," She held Xipher's hand gently, "We'll get that cleaned up."

Xipher cringed his teeth and hissed.  
"Hold still, will you?" snapped the Toa of water. "What is this stuff anyway?  
"No idea." He replied as he wiped his mask. The glowing orb of water soon dispersed and Xipher was free to move his other hand around.  
"How's that?  
"Better. Thanks."  
She acknowledged him with a slight nod. "So what did you get out of him?"  
"Nothing really," he said flatly. "But there was something he said that bothered me."  
Naromia tilted her head. "And what's that?"  
"From what he's implying, there's something big going on and we're oblivious to it."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"A little help here?"  
Scott then stood back and watched as Xipher dragged a large log through the forest with little difficulty. He followed him to the beach, where a cluster of logs was being measured and chipped away with hatchets. Sam, Josh, Mike and Daniel worked in teams, carrying fat branches on their shoulders to their makeshift hut, where Saber placed them on the roof. Amanda was also arriving with handfuls of long, palm tree-like ferns.  
Once the branches were in place the ferns were laid out on top and held down with a few more limbs. Scott took a step back to admire their hut. It only had one wall, facing the forest, but it had more than enough room for the marines to sleep in.  
The leader was interrupted as Xipher cleared his throat. "Well, I think four days is more than enough. It's time for us to go."  
"Oh come on. No one's forcing you to leave." pleaded Sam.  
"I helped you build your…. 'house'. What more could you want?"  
"A raft?" said Josh.  
"You have all the material you need." He gestured at hand towards their stockpile to make his case. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going home."  
As he began to walk away, Saber took a few steps, but stopped and glanced at the Humans before continuing on.  
"Oh and one more thing." He stopped and turned halfway. "I wouldn't venture north if I were you. A thick blanket of fog constantly covers the area. It would be a shame if someone got lost." He turned around and walked into the forest, where they eventually disappeared in the midst of the foliage.  
Scott sighed deeply. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's build a boat."  
"We just built a house," complained Josh. "Now you want to leave before using it?"  
"I never said we were going to leave today. We just need to start working on the frame and tomorrow we'll have ourselves a raft."  
"We can't just strap up a pile of logs and call it seaworthy," said Daniel.  
"Then what do you propose?"  
Daniel picked up a stick and drew in the sand. "I say we build an outrigger canoe. It would have two hulls connected by arms that then extend outward onto supportive floats. A deck can be built between the two for our supplies and a sail." He finished his drawing and looked at the staring faces.  
Josh had a finger on his chin. "Where exactly did you get this idea?"  
"My girlfriend and I went to Hawaii." He said sheepishly.  
Scott rested his head on his chin. "The idea is good, but what you're proposing could take weeks to make. Plus we would need to find logs thicker than what we have."  
"I know, but the payoff might be worth it. Just imagine being able to island hop knowing you can control where you go, and if the winds are in your favor you can let it do the work."  
"What about getting the logs? We'll need Xipher's help and Mr. Personality still doesn't seem to like us," reminded Josh.  
"We won't bother him," said Scott. "Besides, I'm pretty sure we can handle this project on our own. We're Marines after all."  
"Hu-rah to that." Mike cheered.  
Some of the men smiled in response, including Scott. "And I know where we can get our first log."

"Okay, who's idea was this?" exhaled Amanda as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. Then then faced Scott. "Oh wait, it was yours!"  
She and the other Marines rested against the four-foot wide log they dragged.  
"Look on the bright side," Scott panted. "Only one more to go."  
"Oh hell no!" moaned Josh.  
"When we do find another one can we please make sure it's less than a quarter mile away?" suggested Sam.  
The tired leader looked at her and gave a weak smirk. "Well then tomorrow you can scout out one for us." He patted her on the back before getting on his feet and walking to the camp. "Come on guys we're done for today.  
She stared at her leader in disbelief. As Mike walked past her he stopped.  
"Mind if I join you?"  
She looked up at him and smiled. "Not at all."

"How about this one?"  
Sam shook her head. "Nah, too thin."  
"You've gotta make up your mind. I think we crossed your suggested quarter mile limit three miles ago."  
"I know, but everything's too fat or too thin. Let's just keep going."  
Mike followed her for over a mile through the fogged forest. Occasionally they would freeze when an unfamiliar Rahi sound startled them. They soon found themselves traversing up a gradual slope. Partway up Sam stopped. She examined a tree that they were about to pass.  
"I think this is the one," she said with a smile.  
"Finally." Mike took his pack off and pulled out a hatchet. He went up to the trunk and took a stance with his legs apart. He took deep breaths and made several loose, mock swings. Then he stiffened up, tightened his grip on the handle and exerting his strength into a blow. Whack! The blade cut its way a half inch into the bark.  
Sam grinned. "Take it easy, it's not an axe."  
He wriggled the handle until it came out, and then made another blow, this time taking a small chip out. This went on for an hour, in which the two took turns chipping away at the fat tree.  
"I think it's time we stop," panted Mike. "It's getting late."  
Sam looked up at the sky. "You're right."  
When they turned to go back they stopped and noticed the fog had thickened.  
"Which way did we come from exactly?" asked Mike.  
They scanned around, but could barely see fifty feet in front of them.  
"Well this is great," said Sam. "Now what?"  
"How about we keep going up the hill? Get above the fog and find our bearings."  
Sam replied with a shrug and followed.  
It was a gradual climb, but as they got higher their visibility got poorer. Soon they could only see twenty feet out. They made their way around a large, dome-shaped boulder and took a rest.  
"This is ridiculous." Mike said before sitting down. "I can't even see the trees."  
Sam leaned up against the boulder and scanned the surroundings. "That's because there are none."  
He gazed up at her with a confused look. She pointed to his right, where another large boulder lay. A third could barely be made out behind it, all three being around the same height. He stood up and turned to the one behind him. The stone was almost half covered in moss and vegetation. He placed his hand along the worn and exposed surface. Sam walked around the formation and stopped when she noticed a square hole that was located above her waist.  
Near it was a much larger hole, starting from her chest and going all the way to the ground. Crouching down, she peered inside. Her eyes went wide and she stood back up.  
"Mike, this is a house."  
"What?" The Marine went over and looked inside.  
The rock was hollow and she could barely see a large slab of stone against the wall, with various pieces of corroded metal on top, which appeared to be tools.  
"That would make this some kind of village." Mike stood back up and rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around. "What exactly lived here?"  
"The real question is where did everyone go?"  
"Well we can play CSI later. Let's just get back to camp." He turned around and saw that the fog had enveloped the other huts. "Or we can stay here for the night," he said sheepishly.  
"I don't see any other option." Sam pulled out the radio. "Scott." There was no answer. "Scott?" Silence. "Batteries must be finally out," she spat.  
"That doesn't surprise me." He crouched down and crawled into the hut, then turned around with his hand held out. "Coming?"  
She took his hand and bent down as she made her way in. While both could barely stand up to their shoulders, they gladly took advantage of the wide space. Sam pushed the tools aside and sat on the bench, while Mike was on the floor with his legs sprawled out. He took off his pack and pulled out some dried meat and a canteen. He handed her some and they took turns drinking.  
"So," Mike wiped his mouth. "What'd you think happened?"  
She shrugged. "Could've been anything. War, plague, natural disaster."  
"I didn't see any bodies. Did you?"  
"No. It's like they just left."  
Soon it was dark. Mike yawned and saw a small and tattered brown cloth. He spread it across the floor and curled up on top. He placed his head on the exposed cloth and patted it. Sam laid down and face her back against his.  
"Ready for another cold, dreary night?"  
"I guess," smirked Sam. She then shivered. "Oh if only we had a fire."

Sam opened her eyes to a gurgle sound. She rubbed her stomach and turned over. Mike was still asleep but wouldn't be for long if her hunger kept announcing itself like a whale. To her relief sunlight shone through the window. She quietly crawled out of the hut.  
The fog had cleared away but was lurking out in the ocean, waiting for the winds to push it back inland. She finally got a scope of how big their discovery was: several dozen of the abandoned huts surrounded her. There was an ominous silence to the place as a breeze passed over. For a moment she thought she heard the sound of crashing waves. She followed it several yards outside of the village until she could go no further. Below her, the cliff face dropped into the water a hundred feet below. Her eyes followed it to the shore, and then out to sea where she saw that the whole village was on the cliff.  
Before she could marvel at her findings her stomach called out to her. She sighed and went into the forest. Keeping the village in sight, she found a bush with green, peach-shaped berries. She picked a handful and shoved them in her mouth. She took her time chewing as she savored the mildly sweet fruit. After eating three handfuls she filled a small cup and took it back to the village. Mike stepped out of the hut just as she approached.  
"Morning," he yawned.  
"Get a good night sleep?"  
"Yeah, but this morning I thought I heard a cow."  
Sam cracked a smile and handed him the cup of berries. "You heard that huh?"  
"Yeah." He grabbed a small handful at a time as he looked around. "So where are we?"  
"A few miles north of camp. We should get going though. Scott's probably worried."  
A troubling bellow echoed through the forest. Mike stiffly raised his index finger. "I agree. How about we hightail it out of here and run?"  
"Good idea."

Whack! Whack! Whack! Daniel stood back and wiped the sweat off his face. The bark was finally off, but it still resembled nothing like a boat. He tossed the hatchet aside and sat down for lunch. Scott sat on the opposite side, staring out into the sea.  
"Come on Scott, Sam and Mike know how to take care of each other. They'll be fine." He reassured.  
Scott didn't reply.  
"In fact they're coming back right now."  
"Very funny," he said dryly.  
Josh came up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. "No, really. There they are."  
The leader looked over his shoulder and saw two figures out in the distance. Sam and Mike soon arrived with weary faces.  
"Guys," Scott said, "What happened?"  
Mike went over to the hut and laid down, while Sam sat on a log.  
"We found a suitable tree, however it's at least three miles away," said Sam.  
"What?! How'd you manage that?"  
She shrugged. "Got lost in the fog."  
"You went north?! Xipher said not to."  
Mike raised his head. "I don't think pea soup fog is the reason he wants us away. You know that cliff to the north? There's a ghost town on top."  
Scott's expression was a mix of surprise and concern. "Really? How big?"  
"Pretty decent size."  
"Any evidence of what happened?"  
Mike shook his head. "No, we didn't stay long, but we noticed that there were no bodies, no sign of a struggle or even a fight taking place. They just left."  
Scott took a moment to think.  
"We'll have to see this village for ourselves when we have the time." He looked over to Sam. "And while Mike shows us, you'll be looking for a new tree. One that's closer to home."

"What do you think?" asked Daniel.  
Scott took a step back, while everyone else circled around to admire the boat.  
"Looks great. Just need to find a perfect match."  
Josh walked by with firewood in his arms. "I don't know about you but this calls for a celebration, and by that I mean a day off."  
"How do you have a day off surviving?" asked Daniel.  
He shrugged. "We're on a beach right? Let's just kick back and relax, boost morale or something."  
Scott rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the canoe. "Well it did take us a week to finish this. I suppose we could forget about our problems for a day."  
Josh smiled. "That's the spirit." He went to the hut and took off everything but his shorts and grabbed his sleeping mat.  
After making it halfway across the beach he placed the mat down, put on his sunglasses and laid in a relaxing pose. Oscar and some of the other Marines got the same idea. Sam and Amanda went over to the hut to rest. Sam noticed Scott was packing a few things and checking his gun.  
"And where are you going?"  
He threw the pack over his shoulder. "I'm going to take a look at that village you were talking about. Anyone care to join?"  
"I guess I'll go," said Daniel.  
"Same here," replied Mike.  
"Alright. Sam, you hold down the fort."  
"Yes sir," she replied with a mock salute before lying back down.

Scott slowly moved through the lifeless village. Its eerie silence hadn't faded since Mike's last visit. Scott approached one of the huts and looked inside.  
"Well, whatever these people are they left in a hurry."  
"I know, but why?" asked Mike.  
"They had to have left some kind of clue." Daniel walked past several huts, until they came across one slightly larger than the rest.  
Above the door was a carving partially covered in moss. He dug his fingers in and scraped the moss off to find a circle with a set of perpendicular lines filling the lower half of it. He kept scratching until he unveiled six large circles, each with smaller circles, lines, or both inside.  
"Hey guys, check this out!"  
Daniel turned around and saw Mike at the edge of the village. He and Scott rushed over. On the back end of a hut was a claw mark composed of four gashes, each over a foot and a half long and nearly two inches deep.  
"What do you think did this?"  
"Don't know," replied Daniel "but it kind of looks like Xipher did."  
Scott gave him a look. "What makes you say that?"  
"Look at the pattern. It's made by one hand, but with two sets of fingers." He raised his hand and separated the index and middle finger away from the other two, which looked like a horrible attempt at a Vulcan salute.  
"Who else on this island has the same kind of hand?" he concluded.  
"It could've been someone else. And why strike only one house? Doesn't sound like an attack to me," argued Scott  
"We'll just have to ask Xipher about this." said Mike  
"But, what if this is the real reason he doesn't want us up here?" asked Daniel.  
Scott and Mike gave each other concerned looks.

The three Marines had dreary expressions as they lumbered back to camp. But as they approached the campsite they noticed only Josh was present. He was sitting down roasting some meat.  
When Scott made it over he dropped his pack and let gravity pull him down to the log. "Where is everyone?"  
"They're with Xipher."  
His eyes lit up. "He's back?"  
"Yeah, he came to check up on us." He pulled back the stick and examined his snack before putting it back over the fire.  
"Does he know where we went?" Mike asked nervously.  
"Nope. As far as he knows you're out gathering firewood."  
"So, where did they all go?" Scott repeated.  
"To find another tree. They're been gone for over an hour now."  
They then heard chatter in the distance. As it grew louder they heard a large amount of vegetation being disturbed. Soon Xipher emerged out of the forest with the end of a fat log on his back, followed by the rest of his team. He continued to pull the trunk along until he was three quarters of the way to the water. His spikes folded and he raised the log into the air. With a good push upwards he tossed the log over him and onto the ground where it made a loud boom.  
Xipher took deep breaths. Despite his arms appearing limp, once he stretched himself he looked like he could keep at it for several more miles. He turned around and saw Scott.  
"Where were you three?"  
"Looking for a tree," said Scott "But it looks like you found one already."  
"Well don't expect me to build this whole thing for you." He then faced the completed canoe. "Have you even tested this yet?"  
"No," replied Daniel. "We don't even have paddles made."  
"I suggest you do and make sure it's sea worthy." He started to walk back into the forest. "I'll check up on you next week."  
"Wait."  
Xipher stopped. His spikes and ears went down as he looked over his shoulder at Daniel.  
"I-I was hoping you could teach us your written language."  
Scott gave him an uneasy look.  
"Why?" Xipher asked coldly.  
"Somewhere along our way we'll have to do some reading." He remained stiff as Xipher stared silently.  
The Toa took a long breath. "Fine, but on the condition I learn your written language."  
Daniel smiled and nodded.

The Marines sat around the campfire, each one using a stick to write their names in the sand. Xipher slowly walked around them to observe their progress. He stopped at one.  
"You're name is Bqott?"  
Scott looked up and over his shoulder. "How can you not tell what it is?"  
"It looks like a 'B' and a 'Q'. Try again."  
Scott erased the first two letters and tried again. "Okay, how about now?"  
"Still looks like a B and a Q"  
Josh couldn't help but smile. "Turn your head. Maybe it'll look more like an S and a C."  
Xipher did so. "Nope."  
Everyone chuckled. Xipher continued his observations. Once he made a full circle he stopped. "Not bad for your third day."  
"Alright now let's see your progress." said Sam.  
Xipher stood still for a moment, then knelt down and began to write. He had found that English was harder than he thought due to the fact it had two forms: upper and lowercase. Slowly he drew in the sand. X-I-P-H- he stopped halfway through the next letter, trying to remember what he was missing. He eventually recalled it and drew the middle line to complete the E.  
Once done Scott gave a quick look over. "You got it right."  
Xipher gave a quiet breath of relief.  
"So, what'll our next lesson be?" asked Daniel.  
Xipher let out a yawn. "I think that's it for tonight. In fact I think that's all I know." He stood up. "Just practice on your free time and we'll see how it goes." He walked up to a large tree and leaped up to a thick branch, high above the ground.  
"Hey Xipher."  
He glanced over to Scott.  
"You know, there's room in our hut."  
Xipher was quiet for a moment. "Perhaps another night." He replied, and then laid down.  
"Don't you want to at least talk a bit and socialize?" pleaded Mike.  
"No." he said coldly and shifted his head on the other side of the branch.  
Sam stood up and walked to the hut. "Well, I think he has the right idea. Goodnight guys."  
The Marines bid her a goodnight.  
She looked up at Xipher. "Goodnight."  
The Toa moved his head enough to give a quick glance. He only stared at her before putting his head back down and closing his eyes.

It was too early in the day to hear laughing and cheering. Xipher opened his eyes, then squinted them back as the sunrise tried to blind him. When he could see again he saw the Humans around a circle dug out of the sand. In the center were Mike and Oscar fighting with their bare hands. He groaned to himself and sat up. After jumping down he walked over. Daniel was the first to notice him and stepped out of the way. Amanda and Sam did the same thing.  
"What are you doing?"  
"Refreshing ourselves," replied Oscar. "Gotta keep those skills sharp." He went in for an uppercut, but Mike pulled away.  
Mike then jabbed him in the gut. Half of the group cheered.  
"I'm next," said Sam.  
"I can't hit a lady," smiled Mike.  
"How about you take on Xipher?" said Josh.  
"No, not this again," said Scott.  
"I don't mind." Mike replied. "I've been wanting to see how a fight like this would turn out."  
Xipher smirked. "Alright." The Toa stepped into the ring.  
Josh leaned towards Scott. "This is going be interesting."  
Scott rolled his eyes. Once again Xipher stood still as Mike paced back and forth, fist at the ready. The Toa snorted and reached out to push him, but Mike moved out of the way. He thought nothing of it and reached out for him again, but Mike pushed his arm aside and went in for an upper punch. His fist only reached into Xipher's cape, but it was enough to make the Toa jump back in surprise.  
Mike stepped back and made a gesture for him to make a move. Xipher acknowledged with a small growl and swiped at him. The crowd tensed up as Mike stepped back in time to doge the strike. He sidestepped around Xipher and bobbed down again to miss another swipe. As he did so he spun around and did a back fist into Xipher's side. While the Toa yelped in surprise, the Marines cheered. Xipher quickly recovered and with only the slightest effort he kicked the Human on the stomach and sent the man stumbling back and into the ground.  
"You were lucky that time kid," he hissed, "but don't expect the next match to go so smoothly."  
Mike smiled. "I'll remember that next time."


	8. Family

*Over 17,000 years ago*

Naromia moved out of the way as Xipher stormed from the Turaga's hut. "What happened in there?"  
"What do you think?" he growled. "Another insulting lecture on how poorly I did my duty."  
She followed him out of the village and to a stream, where he sat on a large boulder and buried his head in his hands. His sister sat down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"Xipher, I don't care what he says. You should be glad no one was hurt." He rubbed his forehead. "Well that's easy for you to say. You still don't have a splitting headache." After rubbing he looked at the palm of his hand.  
"What's on your mind?"  
"It's that vile. Hakkan said we're oblivious to what's going on and he's right. Whatever was in that vile couldn't have been good. The only question how is how to track it." He thought for a moment but clenched his teeth and placed a hand on his throbbing head.  
Naromia slumped back and folded her arms. "Well you'll have to play energy hound another time." Then an idea came to mind and she smiled. "How about we go for a swim? That'll clear your head."  
He looked over and raised an eyebrow. "In case you haven't noticed I'm a Toa of stone."  
"Yeah and I'm a Toa of water, but that doesn't stop me from staying on land." She stood up and pulled his arm.  
Stubbornly he got on his feet and approached the stream. He stood at the edge and looked into the water. He dipped his foot in and pulled it out.  
"Why does water have to be cold and wet?"  
"Oh come one. You're a Toa. Where's your sense of courage?"  
"I'm not scared," He huffed and took a step forward. His feet were half submerged. "I just don't like water."  
She giggled. "That's okay, the water likes you." With a big grin on her face she pushed him.  
He flailed his arms and raised his leg to catch his balance, only to fall in with a large splash. She let out a loud giggle.  
Xipher surfaced and gasped for air. When he saw her he gave a dirty look, but then it was accompanied by a dirty smile. He concentrated and a mound of stone underneath her rose up. She yelped as she was launched into the air and landed in the water. Her head surfaced and she looked at him.  
He had a smug look on his face. "From the looks of things I'd say that stone likes you."  
She smiled and splashed water at him. He jerked his head away and retaliated with his own splash. The two laughed as they tried to get the upper hand on each other. Soon they tired out and stood there in the water.  
"Just so you know," Xipher spoke up, "I still hate water."

The forest was filled with the sound of chattering birds. As they chirped their daily conversations, a deep roar shot out. Most of the birds screeched in panic and flew away, while those still perched on their branches stayed quiet for a moment. Soon their conversations continued. Xipher's ears and spikes went down.  
"Stupid birds," He muttered to himself. He then continued his walk back home when he heard Saber on the distance calling his name. "I'm over here!" He waited for a few minutes until Saber's white body could be spotted in the distance. She smiled as she panted, and leaned against a tree for rest.  
"How did it go?" she eagerly asked.  
His response was dry. "It went fine."  
Saber gave him a look. "Just fine?"  
"Yeah."  
"Well, what have they done this past week?"  
"We built a boat. Now they're building another one." Behind his cloak he was clutching his fist. "Once they have it done they'll be gone." He hissed.  
"Why do you take it as a bad thing? You like to be alone."  
"I know, but despite what I've been teaching them, they will never make it out there. They must stay."  
"But then why teach them?"  
"So they won't suspect a thing when I sabotage their craft."  
Saber's ears and spikes went down. "Xipher," She scowled. "I can't believe you would think to do such a thing."  
From the distance they could hear Sam and Amanda conversing with each other as they approached them. Xipher got close to her face and hissed quietly.  
"I'm a Toa aren't I? I'm protecting them from what's out there. This is what's best for them and you know it." He pulled away just before the girls walked around some bushes and saw them.  
The Toa were stumped to see the two Humans wearing only a tank top, shorts and a small metallic necklace. Each had a towel on their shoulders.  
"Hey guys," smiled Sam. "We're going for a swim, do you want to join?"  
Xipher's expression already read no, but as he opened his mouth Saber stepped forward and butted in.  
"We would love to, but just give us a moment first."  
The girls nodded and went farther up the trail. Saber's eyes followed them until they were far enough away, then faced Xipher with a cross look. He took a half step back in surprise. It was her turn to hiss.  
"I don't care how bad it is out there, they don't belong here. They have a home Xipher, where their people need them. If you don't want to help them, fine, but they trust you. Do you really want to betray them like that?"  
Xipher had a blank look across his face. Her spines and shoulders sank.  
"Think about it. Until then I'm going to the stream."  
He watched as she began to disappear into the vegetation. He stood there thinking about what she had said. But his concentration was poor as the chirping birds proved to be too much of a hassle for his ears. He snorted as his shoulders, ears and spikes dropped.  
"Stupid birds," he muttered.

Sam smiled as she floated on her back in the clear, cool water. A large rock extended out into the stream, where it dropped off into deep water. Amanda cried out and cannon-balled in. Water from the splash splattered onto Sam's face. She flinched and pulled herself upright. A few feet from shore Saber perched herself and watched the two of them laugh as they engaged in a water fight.  
Soon Xipher emerged from the forest and sat on the boulder. His head peered over and he extended his foot towards the water.  
Sam saw his toes dab the water and grinned. "Care for a swim?"  
Xipher's ears went down. "Sorry, but I don't do water."  
"It's not that deep. You could stand in it and still have your shoulders dry."  
"Nope, not going in."  
From the corner of her eye she saw Saber silently jump to the ground. The Toa took off her cloak and crouched down. Her eyes dilated and her tail wagged back and forth like a cat as she slowly stalked Xipher. Despite his acute senses, he didn't appear to notice any of it. Sam decided to play along.  
"What's the matter, afraid to get wet?"  
"No."  
"Then what is it?" She slowly swam backwards.  
Saber stopped and prepared to pounce.  
"I just don't like to-"  
"BOO!"  
Xipher didn't scream, but he did flinch hard enough to launch himself off the rock and into the water. Splash! Saber leaped again and across the stream, where she then climbed up a tree and onto a thick branch. Xipher pulled his head out of the water and gasped. Like a frantic cat, he clawed his way out of the stream, leaving long gashes in the rock. The sight was more than enough to get the girls giggling. Once out he looked around for the perpetrator, and spotted Saber, her eyes large and her tail flickering with pride.  
"What was that for?!" he snarled.  
"You've got to have a little fun once in a while. Besides Toa of grumpiness, you kind of deserve it."  
Xipher answered back with an irritated growl. He was then interrupted by Scott arrival. The leader wore shorts and had his towel around the back of his neck. He stood next to Xipher and looked up.  
"How's the water?" he asked, as an honest question.  
The Toa gave him a dirty look for a moment and pushed him in the water. All the girls burst out in laughter.  
Scott surfaced and looked around. He had a bewildered look on his face. "Did I miss something?"  
"Not much." Xipher had already hanged his cloak on a branch. "I just pushed a human into the water. You should've seen the look on his face." He then sat on the ground and curled up.  
"Oh come on," pleaded Sam "You're already wet, so you might as well come back in."  
"Fat chance,"  
"Don't you want to relax?"  
Xipher raised his voice a little, "That's what I'm trying to do." He rested his head on his hands and closed his eyes.  
Scott and Sam looked at each other. He shrugged and started to swim, when he noticed the gash marks on the stone. He quickly realized they matched the ones on the hut. His discovery was short lived as the rest of his team arrived.  
Some had lain down to relax, while the rest swam. Even Saber joined in, dog paddling whenever the water was deep enough. Soon the sun was close to setting and the marines packed up and returned to their camp, with Xipher and Saber trailing behind. The campfire was refueled and the humans sat down around it. Saber joined in, while Xipher sat in the hut. Scott noticed and made a space for him.  
"Don't you want to sit with us?"  
"Thanks, but no thanks," he said flatly.  
"Are you sure?"  
He nodded slightly.  
"Your loss," said Josh. He walked over and sat down on the reserved spot. Xipher didn't show any sign of caring.  
As the food cooked above the fire, Daniel sat with his chin rested on his fist. He was quiet and stared into the flames as he pondered. When he decided it was the right time he spoke up. "Xipher,"  
The Toa glanced over at him, "What is it?"  
"Who's Turaga?"  
The two Toa were surprised.  
"Where did you pick up that word?" asked Saber.  
Realizing he had overlooked that, Daniel made up the first thing that came to him. "A Vortixx mentioned it."  
Xipher appeared to be unsure of his answer but accepted it. "Well it's more of an occupation than a single person. Turaga are chief elders. Once a Toa completes their destiny they give up their powers and become Turaga."  
"Wait, you have powers?" interrupted Scott.  
Xipher did his best to hide his regret for mentioning it, and rubbed the back of his neck. "I _had_ Toa powers. Now all I have is X-ray, night and heat vision." He answered a little rushed.  
Sam shifted herself into an inattentive mode. "Well what happened to your other powers?"  
"I- Uh, well." He looked over at Saber, who had an apprehensive look across her face. "I don't really want to talk about it."  
"Why not?"  
"It just… brings up bad memories."  
"I see," said Scott. He leaned back against the log with hands behind his head and legs crossed. "You know back home our kind fantasizes about having powers. Flight, strength, speed, practically every child looks up to these mythical heroes. You're lucky just to have had them."  
"Thanks," he said softly, his eyes darting around as he thought of a way to get their conversations away from him. "So, what's it like in your world?"  
Scott shrugged. "It can't be anymore impressive than this place. There are a few differences though. Only one sun and one moon, blue water, and all life forms are purely organic."  
"It's beautiful there though." Sam added. "There's the towering Rocky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, Niagara falls,"  
Mike butted in. "Hey, I think I have a photo of it with me." He jumped of his seat and ran to his backpack.  
Xipher and Saber were confused. "You have a what?" he asked.  
After digging frantically he ran back with a picture and handed it to the Toa. He took it and first examined the material of the picture.  
"What is this?" He finally looked at the image and allowed its context to sink in.  
It had Mike with his hands around a woman and the large waterfall behind.  
"This is amazing. How did you get an image to look so real?" asked Saber.  
"It's hard to explain," said Scott. "I'm surprised an advanced world like this doesn't have photography."  
"We also don't have radios remember?" said Saber.  
"True."  
Xipher continued to look at the photo. "Who's this woman?"  
Mike grinned. "That's my wife. We've been married for almost a year now."  
"She must miss you." said Saber.  
"Yeah, back home I only get to see her a few months every year. I can't wait to see her again."  
"Same here," said Daniel, but then realized what he said and felt embarrassed. "I don't mean your wife, of course, I meant my family."  
Everyone chuckled.  
"I know." Mike replied, and then looked over at Xipher. "Do any of you have family?"  
The duo gave each other looks. Instead of replying he kept quiet and stared at the fire. Mike's smile disappeared.  
"Oh. I'm sorry."  
"It's not your fault." Xipher replied. "You didn't know." The Toa stood up and walked away, appearing a little slumped in his posture than normal. "I'll be right back."  
Saber didn't say anything and let him walk into the forest before addressing the Humans. "He just needs a little time to himself. And as for your question, Vaptech and I are all he has." She then stood up. "It's probably for the best you stay out of his personal life. He's been through a lot." She walked over to the same tree Xipher had been sleeping in and climbed up to the thickest branch. There was an awkward moment of silence between the Marines.  
Sam rubbed her shoulder. "I feel bad for him."  
"Yeah," replied Josh. "At least he finally opened up… a little."

Sam stirred in her sleeping bag. A low moaning sound bothered her. She tossed and turned, even covered her ears, yet nothing made it go away. Frustrated she awoke and sat up. She looked around until she found the culprit. Surprisingly it was Xipher. He was asleep on the sand, wriggling around as he moaned, yet the way he did so didn't indicate he was in any physical pain.  
He turned over and whined. She sat there, not sure what to make of it until he uttered out a word.  
"Naromia."  
At that moment she got out of her sleeping bag and quietly tiptoed over. She knelt down, but memories of her last experience waking him up kept her hesitant. She took a few deep breaths and gently placed a hand on his shoulders.  
Xipher flinched a little and his eyes opened. He didn't lash out, but was certainly startled.  
"Are you okay?" she asked.  
"Yeah." He rubbed his eye. "Just a bad dream."  
"You want to talk about it?" She rubbed the back of her neck. She already knew the answer and mentally wondered why she asked at all.  
"No." he said plainly.  
"Do you at least want to stay in the hut? There's plenty of room."  
Xipher stayed motionless as he thought about it. The suspense left Sam sitting stiffly.  
He quietly stood up. She gave a silent breath of relief and escorted him to the hut. While she snuggled in her bag he laid down behind her. Both had their faces toward the ocean. The twin moons were full and the stars around glittered the sky. The light blue rays of the moons sparkled and gleamed off the ocean waves.  
"It's a beautiful night."  
He sighed. "I guess."  
"Is there something bothering you?"  
Xipher spoke quickly under his breath. "No."  
She turned partway to look at him. "Well then, care to explain who Naromia is?"  
His mouth gaped open. His ears drew back and he whispered loudly, "Where did you here that name?!"  
"You said it in your sleep."  
He was silent for a second before sighing in defeat, and then laid his head down. "She's my sister."  
Sam then turned herself completely over. "You must miss her."  
"You don't know the half of it. She was always there for me. No other Toa could make me laugh or smile like her. She was my best friend."  
"What exactly happened to her?" She caught herself in her mistake and tensed up, worried that he would walk away again. He didn't.  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
"Okay, that's fine." She said with some disappointment in her voice. "Can you at least tell me how you lost your tail?"  
He gave her a surprised look.  
"Yes I noticed, at the stream today. I didn't want to bring it up, because I thought it would embarrass you."  
His glowing, blue eyes were enough to tell her she was right. "I lost it in a fight. Against a Makuta: beings of shadow. Powerful and dangerous, you should avoid them at all cost.  
"Worse than Vortixx huh?" She turned back over and looked at the ocean. Feeling things were getting too awkward and personal, she switched the subject.  
"So, if your home is out there, why haven't you left?" She was unaware that his face lit up with a mix of worry and embarrassment.  
"I uh, can't swim," he said uncomfortably.  
She them smiled. "Well that explains what happened at the stream."  
"Yeah," he replied.  
"Well don't worry; the boat will be designed to not tip over."  
Xipher raised his head and looked at her with a gaped jaw. "You're- you're taking us with you?"  
"Yeah. No one should be stranded for the rest of their lives."  
His mouth remained half open until he could say something, but it ended up being stuttered. "Thank you." He laid his head back down and watched the crashing waves until his eyes couldn't stay open any longer.

By the time sunrise came, Xipher was still half asleep and sprawled out on the floor. His limbs weaved around everyone except for Josh, who had the weight of his foot on his side. He squirmed around a little until he couldn't tolerate it anymore and pushed it off, which took more effort than he thought it would.  
The Toa didn't seem to mind. He turned his head over and took a deep breath and exhaled right into Scott's face. The Marine's closed eyes squinted at the sudden rush of air. When it subsided he opened them and saw a set of sharp teeth just inches from his face. He yelped in panic. Before anyone could wake up and see what the fuss was about he had flailed out of his sleeping bag and rolled off the floor and onto the sand.  
Xipher opened his eyes and raised his head. He saw an arm come up and onto the floor, which helped hoist the tired Marine on his knees. He rested his head and elbow on the floor and shook his head in slight disbelief.  
"What got you up?" Xipher asked.  
"A mouth full of teeth, that's what," he spat. "And since when did you decide to sleep with us?"  
Xipher shrugged "Last night."  
Scott sighed at the answer and stood up. Xipher looked up at Saber, who was still perched on a tree, looking back confused. He stretched and slowly got on his feet. As he left the campsite she jumped out of the tree and followed.  
"Where are you going?" she asked.  
"To get more thick branches."  
"You're still going to sabotage them?!" she scowled.  
He stopped and faced her. "No. I've been thinking over what you said and you're right. They need to go home, and so do we."  
Her face lit up with astonishment. "What?"  
"You heard me. They've offered to take us with them. We can finally get off this rock and make things right."  
To his surprise she was hesitant to respond.  
"But, they don't know. Aren't you worried that someone out there will tell them the truth?"  
His spikes and ears dropped. Saber watched as he stared at the ground with guilt in his eyes.  
"Xipher," she sighed "Sooner or latter they're going to find out. The real question is who would you rather have tell them: You, or someone else?"  
He still had his head down. She walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"Please understand. I'm not trying to keep you here; I just don't want to see you go though those moments again."  
"I know." He took her hand off and looked her in the eyes. "But I fear telling them would do the same thing."


	9. A Way Home

M.I.A. Ch 9

*A year after Hakann's Escape*  
Xipher leaned against his hut, with his arms crossed and stared out into the night sky. Naromia came over. She was usually a welcomed sight, but not today as she walked in a rushed manner.  
"I heard about what happened," she said. "Is it true?"  
He huffed and looked at the ground. "Yeah. I punched him. Hard."  
She gasped. "How could you? He's our Turaga."  
"I know." He turned and marched away.  
Her shoulders sank and she quickly followed. "Xipher talk to me, does this have something to do with Hakann?"  
He didn't respond.  
"Xipher!" She reached out and touched his shoulder. He shook it off and turned around, eyes glowing red. She took a step back in surprise.  
"No," he growled, "It has to do with everything! The constant ridicule, not just from Turaga, but the Matoran and even my brothers. The failing missions, the jokes, and all of it! I'm sick and tired of being a failure!" He panted heavily.  
His eyes changed back and he suddenly began to feel light headed. He placed his hands on his head and took a step back, moaning a little at the same time.  
"Xipher," she said with concern "You're not yourself. What's happening to you? You used to handle these kinds of things very well. Now you're aggressive in your actions. You hiss, growl, and now you've started to use force when you don't get your way. You're acting like-" She struggled to find the right words. "Something else."  
Xipher sighed. "I know." He slumped down on a rock and buried his head  
in his hands.  
She took a seat next to him. "The Matoran are starting to fear you Xipher. Is this what you want?"  
"No." He looked up at her, "Believe me I've been trying to control myself, but it's becoming difficult." He then stared at his palms. "It's that vial," He hissed. "Ever since the incident I've felt different. I am different."  
"It's been over a year now. Stop blaming your actions on that-"  
He stood up and locked eyes with her. "No! Just think about it. You and I have been Toa for five years now. When did my strange behavior begin?"  
She paused. "Shortly after Hakann's escape."  
"Exactly." He crouched down and placed his hands on her shoulders. "The contents of that vial has done something to me." He said with dread clear in his voice. "I fear it's only going to get worse unless I do something about it."  
"And just how do you plan to do that?"  
He took a step back and looked away. It was then that she noticed a strap over his shoulder.  
"I'm going after Hakann. And I don't plan to come back until I get answers."  
She stood up in shock. "Xipher, you can't leave. You have a duty to protect the Matoran."  
"And I will, on my travels. If I stay here things could get worse. Please, I have to do this. For the Matoran." He put forth a fist.  
The Toa of water was reluctant, but sighed in defeat and fist bumped him gently. "Very well. May Mata Nui protect you."  
He gave a warm smile and began to walk away. "I will return," he yelled, "I promise."

"What do you think?" asked Scott.  
Xipher took a few steps back and crossed his arms. "I say we take it for a test drive... or paddle."  
"I think so too. Mike, are those paddles ready?"  
Mike sat on the log weaving a plant-made string around a paddle.  
"Working on the last one. Just take the rest and go."  
Daniel and Josh grabbed them and ran to the raft with Saber, half of the marines following behind. With Xipher and Saber's help they pushed the raft into the water. Once in everyone jumped on board, except Xipher. Scott looked over and noticed his hesitation.  
"Aren't you coming?"  
"Uh, you go on ahead. I'll make a list of things to do before we go."  
Scott shrugged. "Alright then."  
Xipher pushed the raft a little farther out until the Humans could paddle away. As they got farther out the smiles on their faces grew.  
"It's working!" cheered Amanda.  
The canoe sailed forward, bobbing up and down as it crashed through the waves. They kept going until they were over a hundred yards out.  
"Okay lets bring her in." ordered Scott.  
Josh saluted and put on his best pirate impression. "Aye, aye captain."  
Half the team paddled forward, while the other half went backwards. The canoe made its one hundred and eighty degree turn and they made their way back to shore.  
Saber jumped out and helped Xipher beach the raft. Everyone else got off with big grins across their faces.  
"I think it's safe to say she's sea worthy," said Scott as he searched a crate.  
"Found it yet?" said Josh.  
Scott rolled his eyes. "No. What makes you think they'd send beer in these?"  
"You never know."  
Scott kept rummaging through until he found something that made him smile. "Who needs beer when we have chocolate." He pulled out a case.  
"Marshmallows and crackers?" asked Mike.  
Scott gave a quick look over. "Doesn't look like it." He came over to the campfire and tossed a bar to everyone.  
Xipher and Saber looked that their bars in curiosity.  
"What exactly is chocolate?" he inquired.  
"It's a delicacy," answered Sam. "try it."  
They unwrapped the bars and broke a small piece off. Xipher watched Saber as she was the first to try. At first she appeared to be staring into space, but he then notice her tail flicker.  
"Mata Nui this is amazing!" smiled Saber She took another piece and ate it.  
Xipher then tryed it. "It's ok." he shrugged.  
They continued eating until Sam noticed something she didn't expect to hear. "Are you guys... purring?"  
The Toa gave each other odd looks.  
"No." replied Xipher.  
"Well I am." Saber answered embarrassingly.  
"Don't be ashamed, I was just making sure it wasn't something else."  
Xipher finished his bar and cleared his throat. "Speaking of food, we need to discus what we're bringing on board. With all of your ammo and gear there will be little room for food."  
"So what do you suggest?" asked Scott.  
"To the south, by the cliffs, are large fruits, purple and about the size of your head, and have a hard shell. You can tie several of those together and let them drift behind the raft. They're easy to find, not far from shore."  
"Aren't you coming with us?"  
"Saber and I are going to look for Vaptech." He stood up and walked back to the tree he'd been sleeping at. "I'd get some rest if I were you. The sooner we leave the better."

"Easy to find huh?" joked Mike. "Tell it to the fog."  
The thick fog obscured his and Sam's view. They could barely see twenty feet out.  
"Wanna bet we find another village?"  
Mike cracked a smile. "Hopefully one with people in it."  
They continued their walk along the sand until something quickly came into view. Out of the fog emerged a wall of rock. The two stared up the wall as high as the fog would allow them to see.  
"Well, this is the place." They turned right and went into the forest. "See them yet?" he asked.  
"No." She then stopped and scanned the canopy. "Wait, I think I see it."  
Almost fully engulfed by fog, she could barely see the purple, acorn-shaped fruit hang from the branch of a large tree, with trunk over teen feet in diameter.  
"I see it too. Help me up."  
Sam bent over and cupped her hands together. Mike took off his gun and gear, and then placed a foot on her hands, where she hoisted him up high enough for him to reach a branch. He huffed as he pulled himself up and on the branch, and repeated until he had reached the branch the fruit was on. As he scooted closer the branch got thinner and he was left to creep on his belly. He reached out and got a hold of it. It took him some effort to pluck it off, but once picked he dropped it. Sam moved out of the way before it hit the ground with a soft thud. She looked up and smiled.  
"Do you see anymore up there?"  
He examined the canopy. "Yeah, there's a whole bunch!"  
After scooting back to the trunk he got up and climbed higher, vanishing from Sam's view. All she could make out was the sound of rustling branches. There was a period of silence, and then something fell towards her. She yelped and ran out of the way before it had a chance to hit her.  
"Watch it!"  
"Sorry," he replied with amusement. "Bombs away!" He made a whistle as another one of the nut-like fruits fell.  
Sam couldn't help but chuckle. Another whistle and another fruit fell to the ground. "Alright, just one more for now."  
"Okay. Watch out below."  
She waited and a few seconds later she heard the fruit being plucked. From the other side of the tree she heard it thumping on some branches on its way down. CLANK! Sam froze.  
"Mike?" she said with concern.  
From around the tree a white armored creature, over nine feet tall, appeared. It had a humanoid body with a hunched back, which had six spikes protruding out. Its head was similar to Xipher's, only rounded and more sleek. Instead of a pair of glowing lenses it had an organic head inside with beady yellow eyes. It looked down at her and made several clicks and chirps.  
"Mike?!" She said more frantically.  
"Coming!"  
There was a rustle, followed by a yelp. Both Sam and the creature looked up and saw him tumble down, hitting every branch on his way, and landing into the creature's arms. He expressed his relief, but then he looked up and into its eyes. They stared at each other until the creature's head armor suddenly split open in four directions. The worm-like head inside opened up too and let out a high-pitched screech. Sam took a step back startled, while Mike wriggled his way out, only to land hard on his stomach. He quickly recovered and grabbed his gun.  
"What are you?" asked Sam.  
It responded with more clicks and whistles.  
"Maybe it can't understand us," replied Mike.  
Then they heard a twig snap. They turned around and found themselves surrounded by several more of the same creature, with different color schemes and spikes. As they moved in, the Marines stood back to back, moving around to keep an eye out for where the first strike would come from.  
"Are they friend or foe?" Mike asked.  
"I don't know. Better question is why Xipher never told us anything about these things."  
"Did you say Xipher?"  
They turned towards the source of the voice. Another being came out of hiding. He was nothing like the others. There were no spikes or hunched back, and his colors consisted of black and gray with red highlights. He was three feet taller than the creatures and wore a black mask.  
With a slight wave of hand he ordered the creatures to back away. They complied without question. He then leaned up against his own staff, which was far more elaborate in design than the others.  
"Sorry about that. They're just a precaution."  
"Against what?" Sam barked.  
He shrugged. "Anything that might hurt me."  
He began to approach them and they replied by pointing their guns at him.  
He froze and spoke gently. "Easy there, I mean no harm." Slowly he placed his staff on the ground. "Better?"  
Sam and Mike lowered their weapons, but didn't keep their finger off the triggers.  
"I'm Terun by the way. Toa Terun."  
The Humans had a stumped look on their faces.  
"You don't look like a Toa." Mike argued.  
"A Toa is a title, not a species. To be one is a privilege, not a right of birth. In fact these are all Toa too. Just not as friendly." He then switched the subject. "On that note, I still can't believe he's alive. After all these years."  
"Who's alive?" asked Mike.  
"Xipher of course," he smiled. "I haven't seen him in several millennia. He left with another team of Toa to evacuate some village. Everyone returned but him. We all assumed he was dead."  
"Wait, you mean you were partners?" she asked.  
"Brothers would be a stronger word."  
They both had blank stares on their faces. Mike then spoke up.  
"Just why are you here in the first place?"  
"A very good question indeed." He walked over to the tree and leaned his back against it. "I am watching over an expedition team as they explore the Southern Islands. Hardly anything is known about this region."  
Sam and Mike went to another tree and leaned against it, but they still had their guns at the ready.  
"And just where are you camped?" asked Mike.  
"A few miles south. You're welcome to come visit. It'd be even better if Xipher visited too."  
Sam and Mike gave each other looks.  
"I understand if you don't believe me. Just tell him he owes me for saving him in that Fader Bull stampede, in the Tren Krom peninsula, and he'll know it's me."  
"And if he confirms it?"  
"Then meet me here tomorrow."  
Mike raised an eyebrow and stood up. "Um, would you excuse us for just a moment?" He pulled Sam away and brought his face close to her's. "This has a trap written all over it," he whispered "He's probably hunting him just like Deskera."  
"I don't know. He seems legit. I say we talk with Xipher. If nothing lines up, we don't come back."  
"But we have to supply the raft."  
"Then we'll gather at night and leave before he gets here."  
Mike sighed in defeat before walking towards the Toa. "Alright, we'll talk to him. But if this is a trap we'll make sure you leave in worse condition than the Vortixx."  
The Toa slightly tilted his head, amused by the claim. "Something tells me you will." He knelt down and picked up one of the fruits Mike dropped and handed it to him. "Now I'm sure you're in need of feeding yourselves, and I need to get back to my duty. Hopefully we can be united again to fulfill our destiny." He picked up his staff and walked away, with his fellow Toa following behind.  
The Humans stood and watched as they faded into the fog. They then gathered the rest of the fruit and jogged back to camp, looking back on occasion to see if anyone or anything was following.

After hearing Sam and Mike's story, Scott leaned against the log to take it all in. "If this expedition team is legit then we can probably just hitch a ride with them."  
"But what if they aren't?" questioned Daniel "What if it's a trap and they're after Xipher?"  
"Then we shoot them."  
Josh rolled his eyes. "Like that worked out before."  
Scott glared at him for a second before going back into his thoughts. He then looked back at Mike. "You sure hey didn't follow."  
He nodded.  
"How could anyone follow anyone in this fog?"  
The voice startled everyone, but they all eased up as Xipher and Saber emerged.  
"Where's Vaptech?" asked Oscar.  
"No luck." Xipher murmured. "He must be on the other side of the island."  
As he walked past Sam and Mike he stopped and looked at them. He crouched down and sniffed their clothing. The two Humans pulled back a little and gave him funny looks. Once done, he pulled his head back and gave a questioning look.  
"Did you meet someone?"  
"Yeah," replied Sam. "Smell familiar?"  
He rubbed the back of his neck. "It does, but I can't put a name to it."  
"How about Terun?" hinted Mike.  
Xipher stared in shock. "How do you know that name?!" He spun around and looked at Saber, who shook her head.  
"He's here," explained Sam.  
Xipher spun again and stared at Sam. "What?!"  
"Yeah, he's watching over an expedition with some other Toa."  
"Are you sure?" He went over and sniffed her shirt again.  
"Yeah, he mentioned something about saving you in stampede once. Some place called Trek Krome or something."  
Xipher's mouth hung open in shock.  
Scott crossed his arms. "Well?"  
The Toa shook his head. "I-I don't get it."  
"What do you mean?" asked Sam.  
"The story, the name, it's all correct. But the scent, it doesn't match."  
Saber's ears pointed downwards. "Xipher it's been seventeen thousand years since you've seen him."  
"I know." he barked "But I'm not convinced it's him."  
Sam then spoke up. "Tomorrow, he's coming back to that patch of forest you led us to. Would you be willing to go over and see for yourself?"  
He paused and thought over it. "Yeah." he said softly.  
Before he could walk to his bed, Scott got his attention. "We were planning to go over there tonight and gather up all the fruit we  
need. That way, if there's any trouble, we can just get on the raft and leave."  
"But what about Vaptech?" Saber asked.  
"We wouldn't leave indefinably, just take the boat to a safer place on the island."  
"Alright then," he groaned, "just let me take a quick nap."  
Scott nodded, and then faced his men. "Amanda and Jake, I want you to load up everything while we're gone."

The thick fog, combined with the fact it was past midnight, made finding the fruiting trees difficult. Xipher was in front, relying completely on his sense of smell to find them. They eventually found the place and he and Saber began picking as much fruit as the Marines could carry. By the time they were done, dawn was approaching. Xipher leaped off several branches and landed on the ground with grace.  
"Alright, head back to camp. I'll stay here and wait for 'Terun'."  
"So will Sam and Mike." Scott ordered.  
Xipher glared at Scott. "Excuse me, but who put you in charge?"  
"I might not be in charge of you, but I am their commanding officer and I'm making it an order."  
Xipher growled to himself. Saber gathered an armful of fruit and led the marines back to camp. Xipher sighed and looked around for a suitable place to rest. Sam and Mike followed him. When he found a spot, they placed their guns against a tree and sat down next to him. He was annoyed by them leaning on him, but understood they were tired. So he adjusted his cloak and wrapped part of it around them.

As the sun rose the marines turned off their flashlights, but still used Saber to guide them home. She sensed an unusual tone to their silence.  
"Scott, is something wrong?"  
He broke from his trance of though and looked up.  
"As a matter of fact there is. I wanted to bring it up when the time was right and Xipher was far away."  
Her ears went down. "Why?"  
"I want to know about that village."  
She stopped. "You went north?" she gasped. "Xipher told you not to go there."  
"So the village is the reason why he wanted us away, but why?"  
"Does it have to do with that scratch mark on one of the huts?" asked Daniel.  
Her spikes went down and her face wore guilt all over. "Oh, I was hoping he would've talked to you about this sooner."  
Scott tilted his head. "Talked about what?"  
"Well, it started back-"  
Suddenly the sound of a distant explosion startled everyone.  
Saber's ears went up and tried to locate the sound. "I hear gunfire. Amanda and Jake are in trouble!"  
Everyone dropped the fruit and made a mad dash for the camp.

It was close to noon when Xipher awoke. Sam and Mike still sat comfortably next to him. Both were already awake and conversed to each other through whispering. When he began to shuffle his body they turned around.  
"Sorry if we woke you," said Mike.  
"It's okay." He yawned and lay on his side.  
The Humans sat up straight, but not to make room for him. Xipher saw Sam roll up her right sleeve. The sight of the bandages still on her brought up memories of the incident, followed by guilt. Mike began to unwrap the bandage. Soon the full extent of the damage was visible. The wound had almost healed, there were two long scars traveling the length of her arm. His ears and spikes dropped down.  
"Sam?"  
She leaned over to look at him.  
"I'm... Sorry about your arm." He said with sincerity.  
She held her arm firmly and gave a weak smile. "Apology accepted. At least I can make up whatever story I want about this." She lightly chuckled.  
Not quite convinced of her forgiveness, he laid his head down and stared into the fog, which had dissipated a little, but not enough to make a difference. He let out a sigh. "So, any sign of my 'brother'?"  
Sam and Mike looked around.  
"No," replied Sam. "Come to think of it, he never mentioned a time."  
Xipher gently huffed and put his head down. The three stayed quiet as birds chirped and chattered overhead. After several minutes, Sam decided to strike up some conversation.  
"So, are you excited to see your brother?"  
"I guess."  
His monotone response surprised her. "What about Naromia and your people?" She noticed his spikes go down. "Xipher?"  
He glanced over.  
"Are you feeling alright?"  
"Yeah." He didn't do a good job sounding sincere about it.  
"Then why aren't you happy about all of this? You're going to see your loved ones again. They're going to be so thrilled to know you're still alive."  
His eyes darted around and he softly whimpered.  
"Xipher? What's bothering you?"  
He brought his head up and tried to look her in the eyes but couldn't.  
"We-We need to talk," he said hesitantly. "I-I haven't been completely honest with you about some things, and I feel it's better that I tell you than someone else." His ears suddenly picked up a disturbance. His head and ears went up. "What was that?"  
Sam and Mike's heads darted around.  
Xipher got off the ground and stood up, sniffing the air. "Something's coming," he warned.  
The Marines grabbed their weapons and readied them for a fight. The trio stood still and silent and listened closely for what was approaching. Even the birds became quiet. Sam slowly scanned the area until she noticed a figure behind Xipher.  
"Oh, it's only you," she smiled, and then lowered her weapon.  
Xipher turned around and when he saw the armored being he gasped. Instinct then kicked in and he roared and charged at it. The creature never had a chance as he drew his claws from under his cloak and cut its head off. The Marines jumped back in surprise.  
"What are you doing!?" yelled Sam. "That's one of your fellow Toa."  
Xipher turned and faced her with confusion and shock. "What in Karzahni's name are you talking about?! This is no Toa. It's a Rahkshi! They're the sons of the Makuta!"  
Sam's jaw gaped open.  
His face then lit up with horror. "What have you done?" The panic-stricken Toa looked around for more Rahkshi. "We have to go. Now!"  
They didn't object and ran straight for the beach.  
"So what exactly is a Makuta?" panted Mike.  
The three quickly stopped when they saw more Rahkshi in front of them. As they changed direction, more revealed themselves. Soon over two-dozen Rahkshi of various types surrounded them. Xipher let out a deep roar to ward them off. It didn't work.  
"I'll take care of them." Xipher hissed. "You run as fast as you can to camp. I'll meet you at the northern tip of the island."  
Mike cocked his gun. "Sorry, but we're not leaving anyone behind." He and Sam immediately fired their weapons.  
A Rahkshi of Insect Control and Laser Vision were the first to fall. Many of the Rahkshi screeched and charged. Xipher dodged an onslaught of swings and blows and countered with stabs and swipes with his claws.  
He cut a Rahkshi of Plant Life in half and leaped in the air as another one shot a beam of plasma at him. He descended on the creature and stabbed it in the chest. Its head armor split open and the Kraata inside screeched. Xipher growled and focused. His pupils glowed red and a beam of heat fried the leach-like creature inside. He then turned around to see Sam and Mike had taken down a good number of Rahkshi.  
One of the remaining Rahkshi he recognized as having the power of invulnerability. He was about to take care of it, when something caught the corner of his eye. Unable to move in time, he was whacked in the face by a staff. He yelped and staggered back. After rubbing his face, he stared down his attacker, a Vorahk. The black Rahkshi hissed and charged at him. He charged as well and met it head on, grabbing its staff and pushing it back against a tree.  
While he was winning, he noticed the tides quickly turning. He felt as though his strength was failing him. That's when he realized he was in big trouble. Acting fast he forced the Rahkshi of Hunger away and used his heat vision. The head armor melted and trapped the Kraata inside. With no idea of its surroundings, the suit of armor flailed its arms and tried to walk in a straight line. Xipher pounced and pierced the hull where the Kraata is held. The suit fell to the ground immediately.  
The Toa checked back on the Marines and found the Rahkshi of Invulnerability still stood. Sam and Mike stepped backwards as it approached them. Every bullet they fired ricocheted off its armor.  
"Ease off the trigger." Xipher snapped. "It will loose its power soon."  
Mike looked up at him with concern. "It'll still attack us."  
"Relax, they each only have one power. The worst this one can do is swing its staff around."  
The Rahkshi hissed and rattled its spikes. Sensing distress in its tone, Xipher used his heat vision again. It struck the creature on the shoulder and melted part of the armor off.  
"Now!"  
Mike drew his gun and fired a round into its head. It went through and out the back end of the creature. The Rahkshi fell on its knees, then onto its side. Soon the scene faded into silence. They did a quick scan of their surroundings before taking a rest.  
"Well that was fun." Mike panted sarcastically.  
"Well play time is over," snapped Xipher "We're leaving now!"  
"What's the hurry? Don't you want to catch up with an 'old friend'?"  
The three looked around for the source. Sam was the first to see Terun high in the trees. Xipher and Mike turned around and gazed up. Xipher squinted his eyes. Soon he recognized the being and his jaw dropped.  
"You," he gasped and took a step back.  
"He's not Terun is he?" asked Mike.  
Xipher shook his head. "No, that's a Makuta!"  
"Makuta Ruunaja to be exact," he smiled. "And might I say it's a pleasure meeting the infamous 'Toa' Xipher again."  
Sam looked up at Xipher. "What is he talking about?"  
"He took my tail," he growled.  
"And much, much more." smiled Ruunaja.  
Xipher bared his teeth at him and his spikes began to rattle. Ruunaja leaped off the branch and landed hard enough that the ground shook.  
"How did you know I was here?" demanded Xipher.  
"I was merely looking for pools of energized protodermis when I came across Sam and Mike. I was planning to just take them, but when they mentioned your name, it was just too good of an opportunity to waste."  
"So you used them to lure me."  
The Makuta chuckled. "You're still as sharp as they say."  
"I'm warning you Ruunaja. You don't want to mess with us," barked Sam.  
She and Mike aimed their guns at his mask. To their surprise he laughed.  
"You think your toys can harm me?"  
The two felt an invisible force pulling their guns away. With all their strength they held them close, but it proved too much and they let them go. Ruunaja caught the flying guns and crushed them.  
"Xipher?" Sam asked, expecting an order.  
"Let them go," he pleaded. "If it's me you want then take me, but leave the Humans alone."  
Ruunaja leaned against his staff. "Tempting, but I'd hate to leave a newly discovered species alone and not experiment on it."  
Xipher's eyes widened. He slightly turned his head towards Sam and whispered with fear in his tone. "Run."  
They took a few steps back. As they turned around to run, they tripped over a root and fell. Before they could get up, the root came to life and wrapped itself around their ankles. Several more roots came out of the ground and joined in.  
Xipher heard the commotion and turned around. Sam and Mike were doing everything they could to get themselves free, but the roots proved to be too fast for them. He ran over to help and as he did, he felt himself get heavier with each step. Within three steps, he could no longer stand and fell to his hands and knees. Even with the support of four limbs, he still felt the weight on him grow. He was now leaning on one of his elbows.  
Roots grew out and began weaving around his limbs. Xipher whimpered as he struggled to keep them off. They traveled up his chest and weaved around his spikes. He felt the invisible weight of his body dissipate and he slowly sat himself up, but he was too exhausted to attempt an escape. A devilish grin ran across Ruunaja's mask.  
"Is everyone comfortable?"  
They cringed their teeth as the roots constricted.  
"Good, because I think it's time for an intervention." He walked over to Xipher and raised his chin to face him.  
"So, how long have you kept your dirty little secret from them?"  
The Toa replied with a growl.  
"Overhearing the least few minutes of your conversation, you were planning to tell them something. Care to share with everyone?"  
His ears and spikes went down.  
"Xipher?" asked Sam.  
He looked over to Mike and Sam.  
"What is he talking about?" she asked.  
The Toa was hesitant. Ruunaja smirked and spoke up.  
"Well for starters he hasn't really been called a Toa for a long, long time and for good reasons. Lets just say 'hero' isn't the word to describe him anymore."  
"What do you mean?" she asked.  
"Up North, he's been described as aggressive, a failure, a spawn of Karzahni, an animal, and a monster."  
"I don't understand," said Mike. "Except for aggressive, he doesn't fit any of that."  
"Trust me, he's never really been able to save anyone in his life. In fact he's done the complete opposite."  
"I find that hard to believe," snapped Sam. She looked over and noticed Xipher had his head hung low. "Xipher?"  
He raised his head only slightly to look at her before putting it back down. "I'm sorry," he whimpered.  
Sam and Mike were left speechless. Ruunaja took it very amusingly.  
"It's unfortunate you had to find out this way. We'll discuss more of it back on Destral."  
There were several hisses coming form behind him. Two monstrosities appeared out of the fog. One was black, blue and brown. It had the body of a Rahkshi, fused at the torso to a horse-like Rahkshi with a head on each end. The other was a white, green and red being, with three heads and large claws.  
"Meet the Rahkshi Kaita. They will be escorting you to our base and home; while others like them will deal with your friends up North."  
They looked at him with horror.  
"How do you know about the others?" asked Mike.  
A Kraata slithered past, startling both of them. It climbed up Ruunaja's body and curled around its master's hand.  
"It wasn't too hard," he smiled.  
The roots around them gave way and the Kaita pulled them out.  
"No!" cried Mike.  
Both marines squirmed in their arms as they took them away.  
"Xipher!" Sam screamed. "Help!"  
Xipher pulled against the roots, but to no avail. "Why aren't you taking me with them?"  
Ruunaja knelt down and locked eyes with him. "Because I want anyone one who survives this day to know that you came back a failure. You sat and watched your friends get abducted and did nothing."  
"That's not true!" he hissed.  
"Then prove it. Desteral is just off the coast. Sam, Mike, and anyone else we capture will be waiting for you. However, with each day you wait, bad things are going to happen to them and just like what happened to your people, their deaths will be your fault."  
Xipher growled. "Lies!"  
Ruunaja grabbed him by the neck and watched him gasp for breath. "We'll see about that."  
He used his power over sleep to lull the Toa to unconsciousness. Once out cold, the Makuta pretended he was still awake and whispered in his ear. "I can clearly see the seeds of anger still inside of you." He stood up and stretched forth his hand. It glowed black and with his fingertip, shot a stream of shadow at him. Xipher whimpered as it engulfed him for a moment before dissipating. The Makuta then smiled. "It's time you let those seeds sprout once again."


	10. Monsters

M.I.A. Ch 10

*Six months after departing*

Toa Naromia sat in her hut polishing her blade. It was a quiet night, but the Matoran were still on edge after a Visorak was spotted. Thankfully, it was killed by Terun. Just then, she heard a high-pitched chirp outside. She looked out and saw a messenger rahi swoop down and perch on her window. She walked over and pulled a scroll out of its carrying case and opened it. To her relief, it was from Xipher.  
 _'_ _Naromia,  
I hope things are going more smoothly for you than for me. So far I've followed a lead, but the trail quickly went cold. So I'm going after another less credible lead, hoping it has better results.  
Just as I promised, I've been doing my duty and helping out any Matoran and village I can along the way. However, my strange behavior hasn't gone away. Despite my best efforts to suppress this new behavior, I still hiss and growl from time to time. Unfortunately I've had one or two incidents where I became enraged and beat up a Toa. This has gotten me into more trouble than I wanted.  
One Toa, however, had a similar problem once and offered to help me with my growing temper problem. I took his offer, but I can't help but feel scared over what's happening to me. Deep down I feel if I can't find a way to reverse this soon I'll become some sort of… monster.'  
_

"Mike Brigham, serial number 5-5-2-7-"  
"Yes, yes I know. 5-5-2-7-6-3-9, now tell me where they went!" Ruunaja reached out telepathically and tried to probe his mind, only to get blocked off. He huffed in frustration. He then faced the other Marine. "How about you?"  
Sam looked at him with weary eyes.  
"Are you ready?"  
"Name and number. That's all you'll get," she spat.  
Frustrated, he reached into her mind again. She clenched her teeth and squirmed as she fought it back.  
"Stop it!" she pleaded.  
"As soon as you tell me where they went." He pushed even harder.  
"Never!" She put all of her mental strength into fighting him off and she found herself winning.  
However, to her surprise she no longer saw flashes of her own memories pass by. There were now moments of events and actions that were both disgusting and horrifying at the same time. She quickly figured out she was in Ruunaja's mind. Then she saw something she never thought she would see. It was a girl on a bridge trying to flee from a horde of Rahkshi.  
Sam pushed forward, wanting to know her fate, but Ruunaja felt her presence and immediately cut the connection. The Marine's eyes were lit with astonishment.  
"What… What did you do to her?"  
A buzzing sound filled the room and his hands crackled with electricity. Ruunaja smiled devilishly. "The answer might shock you."

Xipher whined in his sleep. Tossing and turning did nothing to stop the nightmare he was having. He woke up with a jolt and panted as he looked around.  
"Sam! Mike!?" he cried.  
There was no sign of them. Panicked, he got up and followed their scent trail, which led him to the beach. The clear, blue sky stretched out to the horizion. The fog was nowhere to be seen and an island was visible a few miles out at sea. The only problem was there shouldn't be any land there at all. His eyes widened as he recalled hearing about an island that had the ability to teleport. That island is called Destral.  
"No." he gasped.  
His first instinct was to check on the Marines and sprinted. As he approached the camp he noticed something wasn't right and stopped. The raft was intact and near the water, but the camp itself was wasted. Broken limbs, splintered wood and debris littered the area and most of the hut was smoldered. Several bodies were littered around; all were Rahkshi or Rahkshi Kaita, except for one. As he got closer to the forest he stopped, his heart sank at the sight of Amanda impaled to the ground by a staff. He stood there, mouth agape in shock.  
"No!" he whispered, and then looked around for any other Human bodies, but more hopefully survivors. "Scott! Saber!" He then let out a roar and waited. There was no response. He shook his head and fell on his knees. "This can't be happening!"  
His ears then perked up as a distant roar echoed. Xipher faced the direction it came from and roared again. Seconds passed and this time there was a reply. He ran into the forest and followed the trail back to his cave.  
Along the way he would call out and, based on the reply, figure out where Saber was. Soon he could hear her voice.  
"Xipher!" Up the trail was Saber with Scott alongside her.  
She ran down and hugged him. "Mata Nui, you're alright!"  
Xipher didn't share the same enthusiasm. "What happened?"  
She took a step back. "Rahkshi Kaita," she replied with dread. "We fought them off, but Amanda. She-"  
"I know," he replied with sorrow.  
Scott leaned over and looked behind Xipher. "Where's Sam and Mike?"  
Xipher's head and spikes dropped.  
Scott shook his head. "No, they can't be dead!"  
"Worse," he whimpered. "Terun, was actually Makuta Ruunaja. He took them to Destral."  
"What?" Saber gasped.  
"We have to go after them." replied Scott.  
"We can't."  
The marine gave Xipher a dirty look. "What do you mean we can't?" He pointed to the island, "Those are our comrades Xipher; our brothers! We don't abandon each other for any reason."  
Xipher growled and brought his face up close to Scott's. "Listen here, I'm doing this for your own good. Last I checked, you left them with me when I insisted I go on alone."  
"I left them with you because I knew if anything went wrong you would support each other. Clearly I was wrong about that."  
The Toa clutched his fist. "Why you little-"  
"Xipher!" scolded Saber. "This isn't the time for quarreling. Right now we need to find a safe place for the night and think things through."  
He didn't acknowledge her but instead continued to stare down Scott and growled. "I did everything I could, but you wouldn't understand that. You've never seen the power that a Makuta has."  
"I haven't even seen your power," he spat and then marched away.  
Xipher hissed back. Saber's ears went down as she gave a worried look to her partner.  
"Are you okay?" she asked softly.  
"I'm fine," he growled.

Sam screamed while another volt of electricity pulsed through her, sending her body into contractions. Once satisfied with her pain, Ruunaja pulled his hand back and allowed her to take a quick rest, which was nothing more than her head lent back and moaning.  
"Are you going to cooperate now?"  
She gave him a dirty look.  
"Very well then." Electricity began to crackle around his hand and he grabbed her arm, sending another cycle of pain throughout her body.  
"Please stop this!" begged Mike as he pulled against the pole he was tied to.  
"You're in no position to make orders," snapped the Makuta. "But I'm willing to make the rest of the day less painful if you'll tell me where your brothers went."  
"We'll never tell you." Sam spat.  
His hand crackled again. She closed her eyes and flinched, as he was about to deliver another strike. A small being entered the room.  
"Makuta Ruunaja,"  
The Makuta stopped himself halfway and glared at the unwanted guest. The being was just less than four feet tall, wore a bat-like mask, had large, red eyes, and had bat-like wings on the back of its body. In his hands was a large, orange sphere.  
"Your leeches are ready."  
The Makuta grinned. "Perfect timing."  
He took the sphere away and the small being went off on another errand. Ruunaja held the object with pride and walked back to Sam and Mike. "I've been waiting eagerly for this," he said with a wicked smile.  
The marines noticed something was moving inside the sphere.  
"What is that?" Mike asked reluctantly.  
"An excellent question. It's a recent creation of ours called Shadow Leeches. This is their name because they drain the very light from your soul. So why resist giving me the information when you can just willingly betray your brothers?"  
The two gave each other worried looks.  
"Don't worry, you'll feel quite a bit of pain, but it'll be the best pain of your life." He twisted it along the middle and opened it.  
Several blue leeches jumped out and sunk their teeth into Sam; one on her shoulder, and two on her right arm. Four more latched onto Mike, one of them sinking its teeth next to his neck. For several seconds they yelled and squirmed to shake them off. All the while Ruunaja smiled, knowing it would work.  
But then one by one they began to fall off. It puzzled the Makuta. It didn't make sense for them to quit halfway through their meal, until he realized why. Those that fell off were dead. Soon all of the leeches were motionless on the ground, mouths filled with blood. He tightened his grip on his staff. To have something that foolproof fail was humiliating.  
"Either that was a bad batch or your blood is toxic. No matter, I will get what I need one way or another."

"No." answered Xipher.  
"I don't care what you think, we're going," said Scott. He took a gulp of water and sat back down.  
The other marines sat along him around the fire.  
"There's no telling what he could do to them," argued Daniel. "Besides we owe Sam for saving all of us."  
Xipher huffed. "First, she and Amanda barely got us out. Second, no one said we were keeping scores."  
Scott put his cup down. "You're right, we're not. But Sam doesn't need to keep tally to know she should go after a fallen soldier, even if her chances of success are slim. For a self proclaimed hero, that seems to be something you don't understand."  
Xipher almost jumped out of his seat and showed off his claws. "What was that?!" he snarled.  
"Xipher!" Saber whimpered.  
He stopped and glared at her, before growling to himself and storming off. The Marines looked at her, hoping to get an explanation. Instead she ran after him.  
"Xipher," she whispered as she took hold of his shoulder and spun him around. "What in Mata Nui's name has gotten into you?"  
"Nothing, I'm just upset."  
He tried to storm off again, but Saber stood in his path.  
"It's happening again, isn't it? You're going-"  
"I am not," he snarled. "Like I said, I'm just upset over this. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to bed."

Rahkshi cut the ropes off and escorted Sam and Mike out of the room, and down a series of hallways. The hall opened up to a massive stadium-like room, reaching several stories in height. In the center was a large, dome cage; the bars were welded together to form the shape of hexagons. The floor was a massive ten-foot deep pit. Thick green webs littered the inside, as giant robotic spiders of various colors chirped and clicked to each other. Sam and Mike looked at the spiders with worry across their faces.  
"I'd like you to meet the Visorak," said Ruunaja. "They're beautiful creatures, but watch out for their bite. They have very nasty venom. Now I don't want to waste two of you on the same thing, so which of you would like to get up close and pet one?" he joked.  
The marines gave each other uneasy looks.  
"Anyone?"  
Still silence.  
He shrugged. "Very well." And pushed Mike into the cage.  
He yelped and barely landed on his feet, which he then somersaulted until he stopped on his side.  
"Mike!" yelled Sam.  
Mike heard the enthusiastic chirps and clicks of the spiders and looked up. Most of them were at the cage ceiling. They looked at him with curiosity and some began to climb down. He got up and ran to the wall of the pit and jumped. Even with the attempt to climb it at the same time he was still a few feet short of reaching the edge. Sam knelled over to help, but Ruunaja quickly grabbed her collar and pulled her back.  
"Oh no you don't." he barked.  
Looking over his shoulder, Mike saw a door thirty yards away. He sprinted over and pulled on the handle. It was locked. Frustrated, he banged his fist on the door. He looked back up and saw they were getting closer.  
Sam watched - feeling helpless about it all - until she remembered that the Rahkshi hadn't confiscated everything from her. Making sure Ruunaja wasn't watching, she brought her foot up and pulled her knife out of the boot.  
"Mike, heads up!" She threw the knife and it landed near the center of the cage.  
She looked back up to see what punishment Ruunaja would bring to her, but to her surprise he stood in the same position and his expression was more of amusement rather than anger.  
"This might be the most entertaining interrogation ever," he smiled.  
Mike ran for the knife. He grabbed it and spun around right as the first Visorak made it to the ground. The Vohtarak screeched and snapped its pincers. The other Visorak chirped with excitement and watched as though they were the audience. With the knife, Mike took a defensive stance and moved around in a circular path.  
The spider wasn't cautious in its advances, charging and then quickly retreating a few steps as the Marine slashed at it. It screeched and charged again, this time snapping its pincers shut in the attack. Mike jumped in time, but collided with the Visorak while in mid air. He wrapped his arms around the crest on its head and held on. He took a stab at it, but the blade made sparks as it skidded past the armor. The Visorak screeched and began to whip its body around. The scene began to look more like a rodeo as the spider began to try bucking him off.  
Mike's legs flailed in the air. To keep himself from being completely bucked off he let go of the knife and held on tight. It worked, but not before being spun one hundred and eighty degrees around the crest. Now he was facing the other way and looking straight into the Visorak's eyes. The spider clicked furiously and stomped the ground.  
"Look out!" cried Sam.  
From the corner of his vision he saw a greenish glow coming from the spider's back and he was right on top of it. He rolled off right before it fired a spinner straight into the air. As he was picking himself off the ground he got a quick look at the underbelly of the creature. It was mostly organic.  
While the Vohtarak turned around, Mike jumped up and looked for his knife. He spotted the light shimmering off the blade and sprinted towards it. The spider gave chase and was closing in fast. He grabbed the knife and ran back at the creature. It's pincers opened wide and it screeched. When he felt the time was right he skidded his body on the ground. As it ran over he thrust his knife into its stomach and sliced it along the length of its underbelly.  
The spider hollered and staggered a few steps before collapsing to the ground. Mike's legs wobbled a bit as he stood back up and examined his kill. Sam gave a quiet sigh of relief and looked at Ruunaja. His grin hadn't disappeared. The Visorak above were quiet as they tried to figure out what had happened. Mike looked up at them and flashed the blood-covered knife at them.  
"Wanna end up like your friend here? Then come on down! I dare you!"  
The Visorak looked at each other and quietly chirped at a black and orange member. It chirped back and looked down at Mike.  
"Behind you!"  
Mike spun around. "Sam, there's nothing there."  
"I didn't say that!" replied Sam.  
He spun back around and saw a flash of green. His body suddenly became numb and he dropped to the ground like a rag doll.  
"No!" cried Sam. "Mike, are you okay?"  
He didn't move. "What does it look like?" he spat.  
Ruunaja chuckled. "Fell for the oldest trick in Oohnorak's book."  
Mike could see the horde had erupted in ecstatic chirping and started to descend down. His heart raced and he put all of his effort into moving, which yielded no results.  
"Sam," he said nervously, "A little help!?"  
This time she decided she wasn't going to let anything stop her. She ran straight for him, but before she reached the cage she felt as though someone had dropped a car on her. She fell and landed on her stomach. With teeth clenched tight, she tried to push herself up, but the invisible force was too much and she collapsed again.  
Ruunaja casually grabbed her by the collar; the weight on her disappeared and he lifter her back on her feet, yet didn't let her go.  
"Relax, they won't hurt him... Yet."  
The Visorak reached the floor and scurried to the fallen Marine. Mike began to panic as one spider moved him around until he was laying on his back and arms and legs locked together. A Suukorak began to weave a web around his legs and worked its way up until it reached his head.  
A Keelerak attached a web to the back of his cocoon and hoisted him several feet into the air. Another chord anchored his feet to the ground. They then weaved another layer of web that traveled along the length of his body. The only exception was a hole large enough for Mike's face to be visible. The spiders cried out in victory, and Ruunaja gestured with his hand, ordering the creatures back away from the web. They complied, except for the Oohnorak. It sat in wait several yards from Mike, staring down at him with eagerness. The Makuta looked back down at Sam and had her face him.  
"You two seem to be close friends. This little… 'exercise' will see just how good of friends you are. All you have to do is tell me where your comrades went and he walks out of this unharmed."  
Sam's thoughts raced. She contemplated over the idea until Mike spoke out.  
"Don't do it!"  
She looked at him startled.  
"He wont keep his promise!"  
She looked back at Ruunaja.  
"It's your call."  
She gulped and tried her best to put on a stern look. "My name and my serial number. That's all you get."  
Ruunaja frowned in disappointment. "So unwise." He looked over to the Oohnorak and nodded slightly.  
The spider chirped with delight and hurried over to the cocoon. Mike watched with unease. Sensing he could move again, he began to wriggle around, only to find that the web was wrapped very tightly. The room suddenly got darker and he looked up and was startled to find the Visorak just inches above his face. He could see his scared expression reflecting off its eyes.  
It gave a good look at him, before positioning itself a few feet down. It opened its pincers out and sunk them into the cocoon. Mike hollered in pain until the Oohnorak drew back and retreated towards the other Visorak. Sam could feel her heart sink. Her partner's moaning only added to the guilt.  
"I'm sorry." She tried not to choke. "I didn't want it to end like this."  
She was then puzzled to hear Ruunaja burst out in laughter.  
"Who said anything about dying? I said the venom was nasty, not lethal. Then again you seem resistant against Shadow Leeches so there's no telling what Hordika venom will do to him. But I'm hoping it will do what it has done to every living creature poisoned by it."  
Sam didn't want to know, but her curiosity got the better of her. "And what's that?"  
"Watch and you'll find out."  
Mike's moaning grew louder. His breathing became short, yet labored. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and let out a yell. He cringed his teeth for a brief moment and then yelled again, this time in agony. The cocoon shook, making it hard for Sam to see Mike's face. She did however watch a sickly green glow shining between the strands of theouter layer of webbing.  
A bulge formed on one side of the web and grew until the strands broke apart and an arm came through. Sam was relieved that he was starting to get himself out, but her face didn't express the same feeling. Something was wrong, very wrong. His right arm was more muscular than usual and appeared longer as well. What really got her attention was that his had had three fingers, tipped with sharp, black claws.  
Mike grasped the webbing and ripped it off. He kept tearing at it until he could get himself out and jumped to the floor, landing on his hands and feet. The more Sam stared at him the more horrified the look on her face became. Mike seemed to be oblivious to the change, until he looked up at Sam.  
"What?" He stopped himself because he noticed his voice was slightly deeper and a little raspy.  
He rubbed his neck and cleared his throat. That's when he realized something was wrong with his hand and looked at it, then at the other before he began to panic. He looked allover himself to see what else had changed.  
His toes were elongated, his muscles enlarged, making him look like he had overdosed on steroids. The sleeves of his shirt were torn halfway up, along with the back of his shirt. He frisked his face and felt two sets of canines sticking out, while his lips stretched back almost to the end of his jaw. The horrified Hordika shook his head.  
"No, no, no. This can't be happening. This can't be real," he whispered to himself.  
Ruunaja let go of Sam and rested him self against the steel bars, while she partially collapsed to the ground in shock.  
"I don't know about you, but I think it's an improvement."  
Mike faced him and growled. "Change me back!"  
"I'm afraid it's too late. The only thing that could possibly cure you is Keetongu and he's a myth."  
"You're lying," he snarled.  
The doors behind him opened and two Rahkshi entered; One being a Vorahk and the other with power over sleep. Mike spun around and faced them.  
He flared his teeth and growled. "Go away!"  
They didn't listen. He then crouched down and pounced right at them. The Vorahk took its staff and swung, knocking the Hordika away. Mike took a moment to recover and as he turned himself over. The Rahkshi were already over him trying to force the handle of its staff down on him. Its head armor split open and the Kraata screeched. Mike cringed his teeth and pushed the staff back. His progress was slow, yet steady, but then the staff began to glow. He found himself feeling weaker and weaker, until he couldn't even hold onto the staff.  
Lying half conscious, he wondered to himself how it could steal his strength away so easily. He then whined like dog as the two Rahkshi picked him up by his arms and dragged him away. It wasn't until the doors closed that Sam was able to get herself together.  
"Where are you taking him?"  
Ruunaja kept his attention towards the Visorak. "Same place you're going. He will, however, be absent a lot - I plan to train him. Hopefully he'll make a good guard dog, if not, a pet."  
Sam cringed her teeth and stood up. "You monster! He's a human being, not an animal!"  
Ruunaja raised his head up. "Monster?" He looked over his shoulder. "You must have me mistaken for Xipher."  
She stared at him, caught off guard by the response.  
"Oh that's right, he hasn't told you has he?"  
"Told me what?"  
He casually shrugged. "Nothing too important. It's understandable though, he never was good at being a Toa."  
"You said that earlier."  
"Yes, but it wasn't so much that he was bad at saving people, but rather he did the exact opposite."  
Sam gave him a doubtful look. "Kill them? That doesn't sound like him at all."  
"And how would you know? As far as I can tell, he's being on his best behavior so you could get him off that hunk of rock."  
"I don't believe you."  
He smirked. "Well I believe the proof of his true nature is on your arm."  
Her eyes widened and her mouth hung partway. She looked over at her scars.  
"So he did attack you."  
"Yeah," she replied hesitantly. "But it was an accident; a misunderstanding."  
Ruunaja huffed. "That's what he wants you to believe."  
Sam was left speechless. A hiss came from behind and she looked over to see a Kurahk approach.  
"Take her to the cells where the others are. Oh, and Sam?"  
She looked over her shoulder.  
"Your brothers should watch what they do around Xipher, or else he'll kill them. Just like he did to his own brothers."


	11. Escape

*Three years after leaving home*

Xipher leaned back in his chair with legs crossed on the table. His eyes were shut and he heard two figures approach him.  
"Are you Xipher?"  
He opened his eyes and looked up at the Toa of Fire. Next to him was a Toa of Air, and neither appeared to be in a mood to for making friends.  
"Yeah," he replied in an uninviting tone. "What about it?"  
Both sat down on the opposite side.  
"We're hoping you would assist us in a rescue mission." The Toa of Fire then gestured to the bartender for two drinks.  
Xipher crossed his arms. "There's plenty of Toa of stone out there. So why choose me?"  
The Toa of air spoke up. "While your lack of a happy-mood is a problem, we believe we'd benefit each other."  
"I don't see how." he replied coldly.  
"We get our brother back and you might be able to get answers." The Toa of Fire presented a small vial with a sickly green, transparent liquid.  
Xipher carried an astound look on his face as he uncrossed his legs and leaned up against the table.  
"Where did you get that?" he said in amazement.  
"Our icy-brother was foot-tracking a smuggling operation in Xia. Figured it was something important. He sent it to us the same day he was quick-snatched."  
Xipher gently held the container and examined it. "Do you know who was smuggling it or where too?"  
The Toa of fire shrugged.  
"Don't know where, but we do know who provided the means of getting it smuggled. However I can't promise you'll get the answers you want. But any lead is better than no lead."  
Xipher thought about it, and then firmly clutched the vial and gave the Toa a stern look. "I'm in."

The iron bars opened and the Rahkshi pushed Sam in. The door creaked as it closed behind her. All she could see was pitch black, with the exception of a few small barred-windows what allowed moonlight to illuminate whatever it could touch. The light in her cell barely showed the outline of Mike. He was sitting on a bench against the wall, slumped over as he buried his face in his hands.  
"Mike."  
He didn't reply.  
Sam slowly walked over and sat next to him. "Mike," she said more softly "I'm sorry this happened to you. If it makes you feel better he still doesn't know where they are."  
He raised his face up and Sam looked into his watery eyes.  
"It's not that, it's all of this. Even if we did make it home I don't want to go to my family looking like this."  
"I'm sure he was bluffing about the antidote. Why have venomous creatures with you if you don't have a cure to go with it? After Scott and the others rescue us we'll find this…. Kee-to-non-gu and cure you." She noticed he didn't seem reassured by that.  
"You mean if they come." He slumped back over.  
Realizing this was going nowhere; she leaned on his shoulder and stared out into the darkness. Around her she could see a few faint pairs of glowing orbs. Even though she could only make out their eyes, it was uncomforting for her to see them all carrying the same expression: Hopelessness.

Sam stirred around until she was comfortable again being slumped over Mike's shoulder. A loud whisper shot out.  
"Pst!"  
Sam didn't hear it the first time.  
"Pssst! Hey, wake up."  
She slightly opened her eyes and closed them again. The half asleep Marine then leaned too far forward until gravity got a hold and pulled her farther. She woke up in a jolt, catching herself mid fall. Mike was oblivious as he kept snoring. She decided not to wake him up and had another look around.  
The mid-morning light did a better job at illuminating the cells, but they were still very dim. However, they weren't dim enough to keep her from seeing her other inmates. They were short, nearly chest high with elongated torsos and short limbs. They had large hands and their fingertips almost touched their feet. All of them were of various colors and mask designs. The robot to her left was green, from across was a white one and with him a brown being. The next prisoner made her jaw drop.  
"Mike." She shoved him.  
He opened his heavy eyes and rubbed them. "What?" he yawned.  
She pointed to the other inmate. "Tell me if I'm seeing things."  
With eyes still heavy he looked over. His need for sleep was forgotten and he stood up with wide eyes and mouth partially a gaped. Across from them was a flight attendant huddled along the wall.  
"Hi," she weakly smiled. But her tone wasn't cheerful. "Welcome to Destral."

"Xipher!"  
The scream awoke him in a jolt. He frantically looked around the forest.  
"Sister?"  
"Xipher!"  
He faced the direction it came from, eyes lit up in shock at the familiarity of the voice.  
"Naromia!" Without hesitation he ran.  
They exchanged cries until he found her. To his horror her cries were that of pain as she lay on the ground, scarred with cuts and bruises and a sword going through her torso.  
"Naromia!" He got on his knees and held her head up. "Who did this to you?"  
She choked. "Why didn't you come for us?"  
He had a confused look across his face. "What?"  
"Why are you letting them do this to us?"  
"Sister what are you talking about? I would never allow such a thing."  
A twig snapped behind him. He spun around and saw nothing. When he looked back at his sister he was shocked to see Sam in his arms. She had all the same injuries as Naromia. She stared at him with pleading eyes and spoke with both hers and his sister's voice.  
"Then please, help us."  
His ears twitched and he turned around in time to see Makuta Ruunaja smiling as he swung the end of his staff at his head.  
Xipher screamed as he woke up. He frantically looked around and found no sign of his sister, Sam or Ruunaja. In fact there was no sign of anyone. The fire was smoldered and the camp void of Saber and the Marines. He got to his feet and walked to the head of the trail where several footprints, including Saber's trekked down the trail. His ears and spikes faced downward and he flared his teeth.  
"Not on my watch," he growled.

When Saber saw Xipher running out of the forest she turned and ran at the Marines in a panic.  
"Hurry, he's coming!"  
Everyone began boarding the raft. Saber gave a final push. The raft moved and was finally far enough out to float. But not before Xipher splashed in and ran to the front of the raft, where he grabbed the platform and pushed back.  
"What's wrong with you?!" he snarled.  
"What's wrong with you?!" Scott snapped back.  
"Don't change this towards me. You're the one stupid enough to lead a suicide mission."  
"You're the one stupid enough to forget how to be a Toa."  
Xipher's spikes rattled. Saber's ears and spikes went down and she sunk her head low.  
"How dare you," he growled.  
Saber spoke up. "Xipher, you-"  
He gave her a dark glare. "Stay out of this!"  
She whimpered and took a step back.  
"Hey! Don't get mad at her. She's just trying to help," barked Scott.  
"The only thing she's helping you with is getting away from that place."  
"What is it with you and that island? Have you been there before?"  
"No."  
"Then why are you so afraid?"  
Xipher paused. His mouth gaped slightly open as he tried to find his next words. "I-I," his shoulders sunk and his head went down. "I'm afraid you'll get killed… or worse."  
Everyone was quiet. Scott sighed and scooted closer to Xipher.  
"We're Marines. Death is part of the job. Under normal circumstances a better-trained and experienced group would be sent to save them, but right now we're the only ones who are available. We know we might die, but we'd rather die trying than abandon our comrades. Think of it this way, what would you do if Saber was in Sam and Mike's situation?"  
Xipher looked up for a split second and put his head down as if ashamed.  
"I- I'd save her." he muttered.  
"Then please, help us save them."  
Xipher looked up at him almost with surprise. He hesitated in answering and looked down again. "I will." he said reluctantly. "Just let me get Vaptech. We'll need everyone for this."  
Scott wasn't completely satisfied with the answer. "You have till sunset."

"So I wasn't hallucinating. Ruunaja did attack a teenage girl," said Sam.  
"What are you talking about?" asked Mike. "I don't remember seeing that."  
"Because I got a look into his mind." She faced the flight attendant. "Do you know her? She has short, curly hair and wore a yellow shirt."  
"That's Sarah," gasped Takara. "Those must have been her final moments. We were the only ones taken. What happened to the others is unclear."  
"Wait, more are here?" Mike asked eagerly.  
"Were. I was captured with three kids. They all died in recent experimentation."  
Sam and Mike's jaws dropped. The flight attendant curled up and tried to hide the tears filling her eyes.  
"And I'm next." She rubbed a bulge on her belly.  
Mike shook his head and buried half his face in his hand. "Please tell me you're not."  
She nodded. "They're very fascinated with him." She cried. "They want to see how it all works, and then they're going to take him away."  
Sam covered her gaping mouth and sat down. "How can they be so cruel?" she whispered.  
A male voice interrupted. "Um, excuse me,"  
They looked to the cell on the left.  
"What exactly is this process you all talk about?" asked the mechanical being.  
"It's best you don't know," answered Mike. "You probably wouldn't understand any of it." He tilted his head at the robot. "What exactly are you guys anyway?"  
"Matoran," he answered. "I'm Tiranu."  
Sam walked over to the bars to get a better look at him.  
"Has anyone tried to escape before?"  
The green Matoran shook his head. "We gave up a long time ago. There are just too many guards out there."  
Suddenly everyone was startled as the prison doors clanged open. Three Rahkshi marched in, one holding a chain with a metal collar attached to it. They stopped at Mike and Sam's cell. The Turahk holding the chain screeched at Mike. He stepped forward and replied with a roar. Sam looked at him with surprise.  
A Vorahk drew out its staff, which then began to glow purple. Sam stared with amazement as she saw the energy being visibly drained from Mike. She could even feel her own strength begin to fail her and leaned against the bars for support. When Mike began to rely on his knees for support the Rahkshi entered and locked the collar around his neck. He let out a whimper and tried to get it off. With one hard pull on the chain he yelped and moved forward.  
"Wait, where are you taking him?" demanded Sam.  
They closed the door and walked away. Mike looked back with worry-filled eyes. Another hard yank reminded him to keep up with the Rahkshi. They escorted him down several hallways and into a large room where Ruunaja stood waiting with hands behind his back and feet apart.  
"Mike," he said with cheerfulness. "How's your first day as a Hordika?"  
Mike gave him a bitter look while the Rahkshi hooked the end of the chain on to an anchor in the ground.  
"Silent treatment huh?" He chuckled and walked up to him. "So cute." Mike closed his eyes and pulled his head back in as Ruunaja rubbed his head. He pushed the Makuta's hand away.  
"What do you want?" he snarled.  
"I was hoping you were ready to tell me where your friends are hiding."  
"Fat chance." he spat "You've already tortured and mutated me, there's nothing else you can do to make me talk."  
"Oh I disagree." he said with a fat grin on his face. "I can still humiliate you." Lightning began to spark and crackle out of his hands. With a flick of his wrist it became a whip of lightning. "Lets see how well you obey commands." His tone turned serious and sharp. "Now kneel."

Perched on a branch, Xipher bellowed out a deep and low call. His ears shot up and like radar dishes scanned around for any reply. There was nothing but chattering Rahi.  
"Vaptech where are you?" he said with worry.  
"Xipher."  
He looked down at Saber, who stood on the beach.  
"It's time."  
He looked up at the sky. Clouds changing their hue to purple accompanied the red-orange sky. His spikes and ears went down. "Coming." He leaped off the branch and onto the sand, where they then walked over to the raft. Scott climbed on top and locked eyes with Xipher.  
"Well?"  
"Couldn't find him."  
The Marine folded his arms. "We'll have to go without him then."  
"I know." he replied in a disappointed tone.  
Daniel took a step on the raft. Xipher grabbed him by the collar and helped him over. He and Saber then pushed the craft into the water. When they were knee deep they jumped on board. Oscar and Josh then raised the makeshift sail and a gentle breeze blew it forward.  
"So what's the plan?" asked Xipher.  
Scott sat at the front end of the raft. He looked over his shoulder with a look of confidence.  
"Well, I was thinking that once in we'd use your sense of smell to track them."  
"You make it sound too easy." he replied, with his tone doing the criticizing.  
"If we're covert enough, it will be."

Sam was about to go to sleep when the doors opened up. She jumped to her feet and ran to the cell door. Two Rahkshi dragged the moaning Hordika by the arms and when the cell doors were opened, threw him in. Rather than run out, she ran to Mike's aid.  
"Are you alright?"  
She tried to move his large body over, but pulled back when he began to get up on his own.  
"No." he growled. "I had to deal with Ruunaja again. He tried to make me his lap dog!" He took a moment to settle down. "What about you?"  
"I've been talking with Takara. Turns out there are more of us out there. Men, women, children, they're struggling to survive, and no one knows about it but the Makuta and the natives on that island. What's most disturbing is that both them and us arrived in this world around the same time."  
Mike took a moment to contemplate it all.  
"Mike,"  
He looked up.  
"We have to tell Scott and the others about this."  
"We have to escape first," he moped. His stomach growled, and he looked around until he saw a bowl sitting by the wall.  
"Is that dinner?"  
"Yeah. I left some for you," she answered softly. As he crawled towards the food, she tilted her head. "Are you feeling okay? You've kind of been acting like-"  
Mike went head first and devoured his meal in a few bites. The scene left her speechless for a moment.  
"An animal."  
"It's the venom," said Tiranu. "It not only mutated him into a monstrous version of himself, but slowly the beast within will take complete control of him. By that point the venom will be permanent."  
Mike perked his head up. "So there is a cure."  
"A myth. Keetongu's kind went extinct ages ago."  
Mike's hopeful expression turned to devastation. He slowly faced the ground and shook his head.  
"Mike," Sam said in a comforting voice.  
When she placed a hand on his shoulder he jerked away and walked to the opposite side of the cell. His breathing became deeper. Sensing she should give him time to himself, she sat down. Even from across the cell she could hear him vent through his nostrils. Suddenly he clenched his fist and punched the bars. Everyone jolted in surprise.  
Slowly his fist relaxed and dropped, while his other hand grabbed onto a bar. He placed his forehead against the bars and he choked up, fighting back his tears. No one dared say anything to him. But right as Sam was about to turn her head away she noticed something different about the bars.  
"Mike? Was that dent there before?"  
He didn't respond. She stood up and walked over to him. Delicately she grabbed his wrist and positioned his hand in the same spot he punched. His fist fit perfectly into a two-inch deep dent in the steel bar. Mike turned his head and stared at it.  
Sam looked up at him. "You don't think?"  
"It's worth a try."  
She stood back while he grabbed two bars. He began to flex. Slowly the bars squealed in opposition as they began to pull apart. Takara and the Matoran stood up and watched with awe. Soon he had pulled them far enough apart that he could squeeze through. Once out he took a step back to take it all in.  
"This is it," he gasped. "This is our way out."

The raft bobbed up and down while the Marines on board gazed up at the hundred foot cliffs above them. They stretched left and right for miles with no end in sight.  
"So," said Josh. "Still think this is going to be easy?"  
"I don't see any other option," replied Scott. He handed a long, wound up rope to Xipher.  
The two Toa jumped onto the cliff and began to scale upwards. The cliff eventually became a smooth wall of stone and they dug their claws in to get a hold. When they reached the top, Xipher scanned around. There was no immediate sign of Rahkshi. They climbed over and while Xipher did a quick scan ahead, Saber fastened the rope along a nearby pillar. Then she tossed the other end over the wall, where it unwound itself and reached the boat.  
One by one the Marines held onto the rope and scaled cliff. When they all reached the top they were meet with an overwhelming view of the base. The soft, eerie glow of light stones along buildings revealed a stronghold that stretched for miles in every direction.  
"Where do we even start?" asked Daniel.  
Xipher pointed to a dome building a half-mile a way. "That looks like a laboratory. It's probably our best bet."  
They made quick dashes from walls to piles of crates and barrels and sometimes backtracked as they avoided patrols of Rahkshi. Soon they were hiding in an alleyway leading to the front doors. Two Rahkshi guarded the entrance, a Turahk and a Panrahk. Xipher faced the Marines and placed a finger to his lips.  
Silently he crept up to the guards, his cloak blended him with the shadows. When he got right behind them he tapped their shoulders. They chirped and turned around. Like a bullet he snatched the Kraata out of their armor before they could even screech. The suits fell to the ground like dolls.  
The muted Kraata squirmed and wriggled around. He took them to the wall and smashed their bodies against the stone until they were dead. Saber ran over and the duo pulled the Rahkshi armor out of view and into the dark alley. They ran back to the door and working together, they pushed it open. Xipher gave the Marines the signal and one by one they ran in. They then closed the door right before another patrol passed by.  
"Xipher, I have their scent," said Saber.  
Xipher took a few whiffs near the ground. "I do too. It's faint, but traceable."  
Scott readied his gun. "Lead the way."

"I don't like this," whispered Takara.  
"Just stay close okay?" reassured Mike.  
Quietly he, Sam, Takara and the three Matoran sneaked their way through hallways. Mike then stopped at a vent. He grabbed the bars and right before he bent them Tiranu spoke out.  
"No!" he whispered. "We tried the vents and the drains. Kraata heavily patrol them."  
"Then what haven't you tried?"  
The Matoran shrugged.  
"The front door?" another Matoran replied sarcastically. Mike was not impressed with the answer.  
Sam flinched and tapped Mike on the shoulder. "I hear one coming." Everyone scrammed to the corner. Sam peeked her head out and saw a small patrol of Rahkshi on the other side of the hall passing by.  
"This is getting too risky." She wiped the sweat off her face. "We need a weapon."  
"But where do we find one?" snapped Mike.  
"A guard maybe?"  
"We don't know how to use their staffs."  
Takara interrupted them. "Guys, there's another one coming."  
They all flatten themselves against the wall. The heavy footsteps of a lone Rahkshi echoed through the halls. Mike slowly tiptoed to the edge of the corner and waited. Soon a Kurahk walked passed. It stopped and noticed the escapees. Mike pounced and hung on to it by the shoulders. The Rahkshi staggered back a bit and opened its head armor. As it screeched Mike went in and bit the head. He pulled it out and bit harder until he heard a crunch. The Kraata went limp.  
The armor dropped and released its staff. Sam watched with disgust and concern as he spat the Kraata out of its mouth.  
"Mike I'm worried about you. You're acting like a savage beast."  
"I'm fine." he growled, and then picked up the staff.  
"No you're not. Just look at you. You roar, growl, hiss, and then you fight like an animal instead of a Marine."  
Mike tightened his grip. "I said I'm fine."  
"Well see about that when we make it out. Then we'll have Oscar evalu-" Mike spun around and roared. "I'm fine!"  
Sam flinched and jumped back against the wall. The Matoran cowered behind her. After several deep and heavy pants Mike's eyes opened wide and he took a step back while rubbing the side of his head.  
"I- I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me."  
"It's the staff," said the Ko-Matoran, "It has the power to make people angry."  
Mike immediately tossed the staff aide.  
"I don't think that was the staff," said Tiranu. "It's the beast within."  
Mike had a worried look in his eyes. For a while his mouth opened and closed, trying to find something to say. He then looked at his hands. "It's just like in the monster movies." They weren't the words he was looking for at all and it reflected in his face and stance.  
"Mike you're not a monster and you know that. Deep down you're a Marine. You're Human."  
For a moment her words seemed to have sunk in. But when he spoke his voice was filled with doubt.  
"Thanks," he said softly "I needed that."  
Her shoulders sunk. "At least try to remember that."  
He acknowledged with a glance and then walked down the hallway. They followed him until they were about to reach another corner. Mike stopped and raised his hand in the air. She and the others froze. Mike looked over his shoulder and slightly jerked his head sideways. Sam nodded and went with him, backs against the wall as they tiptoed to the corner.  
A shadow walked along the opposite wall. It seemed to be alone and rather small compared to a Rahkshi. Mike faced Sam and with hand signals suggested their plan of attack. She nodded and they both readied themselves. But right as they were about to pounce, Sam noticed the shadow's shape. It had a certain familiarity to it. The round, domed head, arms seemingly short, compared to every robotic creature she's meet, and it was holding something that resembled a gun. There was no denying it. They were about to ambush a Marine.


	12. Deception

Before Sam even had a chance to stop him, Mike pounced, roaring. He easily tackled his opponent and pinned it to the ground by its shoulders. He raised his fist for a punch, but stopped himself as he recognized the cowering being.  
"Scott?"  
Scott moved his hands out of the way and when he got a real grasp of who attacked him, his eyes widened. "Mike?" he gasped in horror.  
Mike smiled. "Scott!"  
The Hordika pulled him by the shirt and bear hugged him. Over Mike's Shoulder, Scott could see Sam. She smiled awkwardly and waved.  
"Sam?" he gasped, but not because he was surprised but because he couldn't breathe.  
He grabbed Mike by the side and tried to pull himself away. Mike let go and he dropped to the ground. Scott then took another look at Mike.  
"Mike?!" he said with dread. "What the hell happened to you?!"  
The Hordika stood up and rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I really don't want to get into that right now."  
Sam poked her head out and slowly came out of hiding. Behind Scott was the rest of the team, Saber and Xipher, all of which had their weapons drawn at Mike.  
"You have no idea how glad I am to see you guys." She smiled. "We've uncovered some information that's very important."  
Still shaken, Scott slowly got back on his feet. "Like what?"  
Sam looked over to Takara. The flight attendant slowly came out, along with the three Matoran. While the dwarf-sized robots were a sight, it was Takara that shocked everyone.  
"There's more of us in this world, on some island in the north, and they're struggling." She looked at her leader and found him to be in almost a trance-like state from staring at Takara. "Scott?"  
He snapped out of his stupor of thought and looked at her.  
"Your orders?"  
His eyes darted around before he spoke softly. "We get out of here." He then looked at the small robots. "And just what are you supposed to be?"  
Mike and Sam faced their companions. They were huddled behind Takara, like a new child in their first day of school. However, Sam noticed very quickly that they weren't shy. They were afraid. She followed their line of sight and realized it was Xipher they were hiding from.  
"They're Matoran." said Xipher. He didn't seem to be too comfortable either.  
Sam spoke. "Guys, these are our comrades and-"  
Tiranu cut her off. "Xipher and Saber. We know." he said in a shaky voice. Xipher's ears shot straight up, as well as Saber's. They looked back at the hall they had come from.  
"We should go." He was about to walk past Scott, but stopped for a moment to speak face to face. "This time, let me stay in front."  
Scott didn't object. They followed him down and around several halls. Xipher heard a small patrol approaching and quickly sent everyone into the nearest room. When the patrol passed, they came out and hurried to the next corner. Sam kept watch from the rear until everyone made it around.  
"Hey, where's Amanda?" asked Sam.  
Daniel stopped and looked at her with a long face. "She's dead. Rahkshi killed her as they destroyed our camp."  
Mike stopped with a confused look. "Wait, then how did you get here?"  
"The raft," replied Josh.  
Mike had a stumped look on his face. "So they bring the campsite to rubble but leave the raft intact?"  
The question made Xipher stop. "Mata Nui." he gasped.  
"What?" asked Scott.  
Xipher face palmed and scolded himself. "This was a trick. He wanted me to bring you here."  
A voice then called out from all directions. "You took your time figuring that out."  
Everyone jumped and looked around for the source of the voice.  
"Ruunaja!" spat Xipher. His spikes began to rattle. "Show yourself!"  
They heard two loud and heavy clanks from behind and turned around.  
"Right here, 'Toa'." Ruunaja stood tall and proud with arms folded.  
Xipher growled and drew out his blades. "Saber, get them out of here. I'll handle this."  
"No, we need to stay together."  
"Just go." he said more sharply.  
"I'm sure we can take him," said Scott.  
"No." blurted Sam. "Our bullets can't dent his armor."  
"She's right you know," grinned Ruunaja. "Just ask Xipher."  
"Just go," Xipher ordered quietly.  
Saber eyes pleaded for him to reconsider, but he heeded no attention to them. The Humans and Matoran ran down the hall and took a left at the next corner. Saber reluctantly followed. When they were gone Xipher faced the Makuta, who had a taunting smirk.  
"I really should thank you. Without you they wouldn't be here in one piece."  
"Tell that to Amanda." he snarled.  
Ruunaja placed a finger on his cheek. "Tis a shame. A perfectly good scientific opportunity gone to waste." He then shrugged. "Oh well. At least I have several more where she came from. You should've been here yesterday. Sam and I had loads of fun watching Mike turn into a monstrosity. So far I've taught him a few tricks, but if things don't work out I can always mount him on a wall."  
Xipher began to breathe angrily. "You sadistic monster! Don't you see you're ruining lives?!"  
"It's nothing compared to your streak." he spat.  
"You lie!"  
The Makuta had a puzzled look.  
"Maybe we should revisit that day. I think it started out like this." He stretched forth his hand and a bolt of lightning shot out from his fingertip.

Saber and Mike grunted as they slowly pulled the massive door open. The Marines rushed out and immediately stopped at the sight of several Rahkshi. They didn't hesitate to fire their guns. Three Rahkshi fell dead, with four more on the ground wounded; yet over a dozen more remained standing. The various breeds fired their staffs. Saber sprinted and pulled Scott away in time to avoid being burned by a Rahkshi of heat vision.  
"Please tell me you have a plan to get out of this." She ducked from a beam fired by a Turahk and fired back with heat vision.  
The creature screeched as its left arm melted. When they made it to the alley, Josh stood guard at the front and Saber and Daniel fought off the Rahkshi from the rear.  
"Okay, listen up!" Scott yelled over the sound of gunfire and explosions. "We're going to split into two teams. Team one will follow me and clear a way for the civilians." He looked at the Matoran. "And by that I mean you guys. Team two will escort them to the raft." He then went up to Saber. "Think you can go back in and get Xipher?"  
She looked at the door nervously. "I think so."  
"Good." He tapped Daniel on the shoulder. "I want you and Sam to watch over these guys alright?"  
"Yes sir!" He turned around and fired another round, taking a Rahkshi of plant life down.  
Only three more stood between Saber and the doors. Scott then handed Sam a pistol and a magazine clip.  
"Make every shot count."  
"Will do." she nodded.  
"First team, let's go!"  
They ran down the alley, while Daniel provided cover fire for Saber as she burst out of hiding and sprinted back inside.  
"Well?" asked Tiranu.  
"Give me a second here," snapped Daniel.  
There was only one Rahkshi left, or so he thought. A second one came around the corner and caught him by surprise. Sam held the pistol firmly in her hands and fired one shot. The bullet struck the Rahkshi in head and it dropped to the ground.  
"Thanks." He fired one last shot and took down the remaining Rahkshi. "Now let's go."

Xipher barely jumped out of the way in time and landed on all fours. Ruunaja shot another bolt. Xipher launched himself out of the way and onto the wall, where his claws dug in. He re-positioned himself and fired a focused beam of heat. He struck the Makuta on the shoulder, but it had no effect, not even a scratch.  
Ruunaja shrugged it off and opened his mouth to let out a powerful sonic screech. The combination of the high pitch and its intensity was too much for Xipher's ears. He yelped and covered them, but with no foothold, he fell off the wall and landed on his side. When Ruunaja stopped, Xipher was curled up, whimpering in pain. As he laid there Ruunaja took a quick and subtle look into Xipher's mind. He could sense the anger building and it was just what he had hoped. But to ensure that he got the result he wanted, he used his powers and fed more anger into him.  
"Just look at you," he chuckled, "lying on the ground while your friends get killed. Just like last time. You really are a horrible Toa."  
Xipher slowly got on his hands and knees, frequently rubbing his ears to stop the ringing. "Shut up," he spat.  
"Oh calm down, I'm just having a little fun." From behind his back he pulled out a large, orange sphere. "In fact here's something fun we can play right now. Catch!"  
He threw it straight at Xipher. In mid-flight, the sphere split in two, and three Shadow leaches popped out, with mouths snapping for their meal.  
Xipher leaped out of the way and managed to slice one in mid-air. The other two bounced on the ground and jumped back. Using his heat vision, he fried the two within seconds of each other. Right as he turned around to face Ruunaja, the Makuta teleported and reappeared right next to him in mid-punch. He couldn't avoid it, but his reflexes were fast enough that his face only took part of the blow. He staggered back a few steps and felt something from behind grab his shoulders. Ruunaja raised him in the air and threw him against the wall.  
"Isn't this fun?"  
Xipher stood up and gave him a dark look as he huffed.  
"We should play games like these more often."  
"How about you rot in Karzahni!" Xipher drew his blades and charged.  
Ruunaja smiled and teleported away right as he made a swipe.  
Xipher looked around. "Show yourself coward!"  
His chuckle echoed through the halls. "Over here."  
Xipher spun around and saw Ruunaja, at the end of the hall, with a smug look. Xipher growled and charged again. He leaped into the air and brought his blades in where Ruunaja was right before he teleported again. The Toa roared in frustration.  
"You're not as much fun as Sam and Mike. In case you couldn't tell, they really enjoyed their time here."  
Xipher looked down the other hallway and his spikes rattled. Ruunaja was several yards away, leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Xipher flared his teeth and charged at him again. Ruunaja stood still, as if he knew the Toa was bluffing. But in a split second, he teleported right next to Xipher and snatched him by the back of the neck before slamming him into the floor. As Xipher tried to get up, the Makuta placed a foot on his back and firmly pressed him against the ground. He looked over his shoulder and screeched intensely.  
The building anger in his eyes made Ruunaja smile more devious. _"_ _Perfect."_ He then crossed his arms. "You know, this all brings back so many memories. Mostly of other people I've killed, but the day you killed your brothers was most memorable."  
"Shut up!" snarled Xipher.  
He ignored the outburst. "I think we should take a trip down memory lane. In fact, we should put on a show for your Human friends. Over the next few weeks, I'll tear Sam apart and rebuild her to look as close to your sister as possible."  
Xipher froze, with a mixed expression of anger and shock. Ruunaja leaned in a little closer and spoke softer, as if it was a secret for just the two of them.  
"And when I'm done I'm going to make you watch as I reenact that that painful day. One agonizing second at a time."  
"No," Xipher gasped.  
Ruunaja nodded with glee.  
Xipher's fingers dug into the stone and his eyes turned red. "NO!" he roared, his voice deeper.  
Ruunaja took his foot off and paced a few steps back. "Yes," he whispered to himself.  
Xipher got back on his feet and clawed the wall to help him up. Right away Ruunaja noticed something wasn't going right. Xipher was certainly fuming with rage, but he was holding it back, with one hand on his head trying to relieve the pain. The result was disappointing for him, but he knew just how to fix that. His right hand crackled with shadow and he grabbed Xipher's back. Anger and rage enveloped Xipher in a dark cloud.  
He stepped back and as the cloud dissipated, Xipher's body began to change. He became larger and his claws and spikes grew longer, while his faced changed to look more like a Vortixx, with the addition of foot long saber teeth sticking out and a row of short spikes on his forehead. Ruunaja was taken back with awe.  
"Magnificent."

Scott pulled the pin and threw a grenade before ducking back down. The grenade bounced and rolled between a Rahkshi's feet. It and two others looked down curiously before it exploded.  
"Hurry," he ordered.  
One by one the Marines began to climb the rope. As one Marine scaled the wall, a beam of blue energy struck him. He didn't even get to scream as he disintegrated into billions of particles. Mike and Scott saw it happen and were left speechless. Mike then looked over the crate and found the Rahkshi responsible. He growled and jumped out of his hiding spot and ran. His comrades watched in bafflement.  
"What are you doing?!" cried Josh.  
Mike didn't listen and roared. The Guurahk was caught off guard as he grabbed it by the arm, twisted around and threw it over him. As it recovered, he got on top, and using both hands pulled its arms off, which still held firmly on the staff. As the Rahkshi tried to figure out what to do with no arms he threw the staff at an approaching Rahkshi. It went through the chest and pinned the armor against the wall.  
The Rahkshi screeched and the Kraata slithered out. Mike grabbed the eel-like creature and took a bite out of it. It screeched and wriggled violently before going limp. Mike threw it to the ground and wiped the blood off his face. He turned around and noticed his comrades' shocked expressions.  
"Dang! You've been Hulked," said Josh.  
"Save the jokes for latter," he spat. "We've got more coming."

Xipher's roar echoed through the hallways, grabbing Saber's attention. She quickly ran down the halls, and when she turned at a corner she stopped and gasped.  
Ruunaja spun around with a proud look. "You're just in time."  
"What have you done?" she asked with horror in her voice.  
Xipher spun around and flared his teeth.  
"Well, that's my signal to leave. Now play nice you two." In a flash the Makuta was gone.  
Xipher got on all fours and crouched down.  
Saber shook her head in disbelief. "Xipher, please." she begged, "You promised this wouldn't happen."  
He roared and pounced.

Daniel, Sam, and the prisoners were huddled behind a crate. A hundred yards separated them from the rest of the team. While many of the Rahkshi had been killed or were damaged beyond functionality, the Rahkshi that remained were too far away and used the distance to their advantage.  
Daniel cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted. "Scott! The grenade launcher, use it!"  
Scott popped up and aimed the gun upwards. He pulled the trigger and a low thunk was made. Seconds later the ground in front of a Rahkshi exploded.  
"Let's go." ordered Sam.  
As Scott launched more grenades, the Matoran and Humans made a run for it.  
Other Rahkshi fired streams of energy at them; some strikes were too close for comfort. Halfway across the opening, a Panrahk marched to where they had been hidding. His head, spikes, and staff glowed and it thrust the staff into the ground. A beam of energy shot up and arched over to the running Humans.  
"Get out of the way!" screamed Mike.  
The Matoran scattered in different directions, but Takara and Daniel didn't have time. A beam struck the ground just a few feet behind them, sending shrapnel everywhere. They screamed as the explosion and shock wave sent them flying.  
Sam heard them and stopped. She looked back and found both lying on their stomachs. "Scott!"  
He looked over and saw the Rahkshi. He aimed the gun and fired a round of bullets. The Rahkshi stumbled back before falling behind the set of crates. All that could be seen of it were its legs twitching for a moment, before becoming still. Sam ran over to Takara. Blood covered the back of her legs and her lower back.  
She shook her by the shoulder. "Get up!"  
The flight attendant didn't move. Concerned, she turned her over and placed her fingers on her neck. There was no pulse.  
"Oscar!" She cried as she began to perform C.P.R.  
From behind she heard Daniel moaning. She looked over her shoulder and saw him on his hands, trying to push himself up. He yelled and immediately rolled to his side and curled into a ball. She looked farther down and realized why. The right leg of his pants was shredded at the knee, with a stain of blood rapidly growing in all directions. Oscar made it over and skidded to his knees.  
"Help Daniel. I'll try to bring her back," she ordered.  
Oscar pulled out his medical kit and injected a small needle, filled with morphine, into Daniel's thigh. He cringed his teeth for a moment, before easing up a bit.  
"How bad is it?" he asked.  
Oscar cut the fabric off and removed it. The look on his face didn't go well for him. He took out a different needle and injected it near the wound. Then he pulled out his knife. Daniel took several deep breaths and tried to mentally prepare himself. It didn't work. He jerked his head away and screamed to the top of his lungs.  
Sam was becoming frustrated as attempt after attempt at resuscitation failed. She looked over to see if Oscar was doing any better and saw him pull out a blood-covered, golf ball-sized rock. He then began to bandage up the wound.  
"Something tells me you won't keep your leg for long." said Oscar.  
"Oh please no." Dnaiel begged.  
"We'll just have to take a look at it later." He then looked over at Sam. "How's she doing?"  
"I can't bring her back."  
He pushed her aside. "Help Daniel get back to the others, then come back with Mike."  
She nodded and rushed over to Daniel. Keeping his injured leg as still as he could, he grabbed Sam by the hand and hoisted himself up. He kept his arm over her shoulder and he hopped back to the group. By the time she and Mike ran back, Oscar was shaking his head.  
"She's gone."  
"What about her child?" asked Mike.  
"There's nothing I can do about it. I'm sorry."  
Mike clutched his fist. "I don't care if she's dead or not, we're not going to let them have her child."  
"Why would they want a dead child?"  
"Long story," Mike snapped.  
He scooped her up and carried her back. As they ran, a loud and unearthly roar shot out through the area. The Rahkshi paused and looked in the direction of the sound intently. Then they began to march away. The remaining Marines were puzzled.  
"Uh, what can scare away a bunch of Rahkshi?" asked Josh.  
"It can't be Xipher," replied Mike. "But whatever it is we should probably be afraid too." He assisted the Matoran up the rope and when they reached over, made sure Daniel was secured.  
As he was hoisted up, a white blur caught Scott's attention. He looked over and saw Saber running frantically at them. "Where's Xipher!?"  
"Behind me!" she replied hysterically.  
The same roar echoed again, this time closer. From the same corner emerged a twelve-foot monster running after her. The Marines were in shock.  
"That can't be him," exclaimed Scott.  
"He must've been injected with Hordika venom," gasped Mike.  
"Don't just stand there!" Saber panted, "Get back to the boa- AHI!"  
Xipher pushed her from behind, causing her to trip over herself and fall. He jumped on top and bit her on the back of the neck. She screeched in pain and tried to shake him off.  
"What in hell's name is wrong with him?!" asked Scott.  
Xipher stood back up and was about to raise his blades for a strike. Saber rolled over and grabbed them, and with one hard pull she yanked them off his wrist, throwing him over her in the process. While Xipher recovered, Saber tried to get some distance and covered to her neck. Xipher roared in irritation and charged at her again.  
He extended out his claws and took several swipes at her. Each one she barely dodged in time. When that didn't work he pounced and shoved her against the wall. Scott was about ready to shoot him, when Mike stepped in.  
"No, you might hit her."  
"What other choice do we have?"  
Mike walked towards the clashing duo and cracked his knuckles. "Just leave it to me." He took a deep breath and roared.  
Xipher stopped and faced him.  
"That's right ugly, I'm talking to you!"  
Xipher let go of Saber and took several steps forward before roaring back. It was deeper and much louder than Mike's but it didn't scare the Hordika. Sam stepped closer to Scott and spoke softly. "I have a bad feeling about this."  
"I do too." He then shouted out to Mike. "Fight like a Marine this time, okay?"  
The Hordika smiled. "That's how I beat him last time."  
Scott looked back at Oscar and gestured with his head to follow.  
Xipher was the first to strike. He pounced at Mike with claws fully extended outward. Mike stepped to the left and as Xipher landed, he used his weight to push the Toa. Xipher landed on his side and as he started to roll over he grabbed Mike by the arm and used the momentum to launch him. Mike flailed his arms and legs and landed hard on the ground.

"Saber, are you okay?" asked Scott.  
"I'm fine," she answered in a shaky voice.  
Sam and Scott kept watch while Oscar injected a small dose of morphine into her neck. She whined at first, but as he tended to her wounds she began to look a little calmer. She looked back at Mike, who delivered a punch to the gut that sent Xipher stumbling back a bit. But it didn't deter him for long and he swiped, tearing off a piece of Mike's shirt off as he tried to dodge it. Scott shook his head and cocked his riffle.  
"I'm sorry but I have to finish this."  
"No!" Saber pleaded. "We have to knock him out. I know it's a dangerous thing to do, but the only other option is for him to tire out, which won't happen anytime soon."  
"And how do you propose we do that?"  
Sam looked at the medical kit. "Do we have anymore morphine?"  
"Not much," replied Oscar. "But it's for relieving pain. Sedation is just a side effect."  
"We'll have to give it a try." said Saber. "The only hard part is getting him still long enough." She slowly got up, legs shaking, and retrieved Xipher's blades.  
"I'll keep him distracted. You find an opening and use it."  
The four circled around Xipher as he wrestled with Mike. Mike had his back on the ground and delivered a kick to the mouth as Xipher tried to bite him. The move infuriated Xipher. He grabbed his leg and dragged him several yards.  
Saber pounced, but he saw her coming and threw Mike at her. The impact knocked her back and she twisted herself to land on her side. Scott made the first attempt, flinging the needle at him like a knife. It twirled pass Xipher and he spun around and hissed at Scott. The leader took a few steps back and ran for the cover of nearby barrels. As Xipher was about to run after, he heard Saber charging form behind. He turned around, grabbed her by the arm and side and threw her at Scott. She yelped and braced herself right before crashing into the barrels, knocking several over.  
The surprise sent Scott crab-walking back out from his hiding spot before getting back on his feet. Slowly Saber emerged out of the rubble and pushed barrels aside. She then noticed an oil-like substance oozing out one of the barrels. She looked back up at Xipher and saw his pupils turn to cross-hairs and glowed. She frantically tried to get away from the barrels.  
"Xipher, no!" she screamed.  
She only made it a few steps when his heat vision struck the barrels and they exploded. The shock wave sent Saber and Scott flying in different directions. Saber hit the ground while Scott went up against a crate and dropped like a rag doll.  
Oscar threw his needle and it stuck itself into Xipher's neck. He roared and faced him. The Marine nervously took a step back. Mike then jumped on the Toa's back and held onto his spikes. Xipher hollered and spun around, trying to grab the Hordika. When that didn't work he rolled over, but Mike held on. Frustrated he ran to the nearest wall and rammed his back against it. Mike yelped on impact and let go.  
He landed on his feet and looked up to see Xipher make another swipe. Instinct took over and Mike grabbed his other arm and bit him. Xipher roared and shook him off. As Mike stood up for another attack, Xipher dug his claws into his abdomen. Mike's eyes widened as he gasped and then let out a soft whine. Sam and Oscar were in shock as he fell on his knees and then onto his side.  
"Mike!" cried Sam.  
Xipher examined the body and snorted before redirecting his attention to them.  
"Shouldn't he be calming down?" she asked frantically.  
"It must not be a strong enough dose. You got the last one, so make it count."  
"I can't when he can see it coming!"  
Xipher readied himself for another pounce.  
Sam held her needle firmly. "You get Saber back up. I'm going to try something crazy."  
Oscar ran and Xipher was ready to pursue, but Sam drew out her pistol and fired in the air, which got his attention. He growled and flared his teeth.  
"What's wrong with you?!" she cried. "Why are you doing this to us? We're your friends!" Her words didn't seem to faze him.  
He jumped at her, and she barely ran out of the way in time, but he jumped again in her direction and pinned her to the ground. The force of the blow shocked her and the needle slipped between her fingers. As she tried to catch her breath she looked around and found it in shards. With no other option she drew out her pistol and shot him in the arm. It made its mark and he stepped back, hollering in pain as he rubbed his wound  
She crabbed walked back and from the corner of her eye Saber was standing up. But looking back at Xipher, he appeared to be getting over the pain and stared her down. He growled and swiped. She rolled over, but he gave her no time to get on her feet as he delivered swipe after swipe. Then she stopped, not by choice, but because Xipher had his foot down on her stomach. She fired her gun again, but only heard a click. Xipher's spikes rattled and he snatched the gun away and broke it to pieces with his teeth and spat it right out.  
"What did Ruunaja do to you?" she gasped. "There's no way you can be Xipher."  
He raised his hand, ready to sink his claws in.  
"You're no hero. You're a monster!"  
At that moment Xipher stopped. Sam was surprised that got through to him, or that's what she hoped. But it was a false one. Just as quickly as he stopped he shook his head and prepared to strike again. His ears pulled back and he turned his head. His face was met with the blunt end of his blades. He let out a yelp and fell to the ground. Saber panted and threw the blades away from her, as if ashamed. Xipher's body had a slight glow as he changed back to his recognizable form. With legs shaking, Sam slowly got back on her feet, with Saber's help.  
"Thank the Great Spirit that's over," sighed Saber, but Sam immediately changed direction and ran to Mike. Oscar followed behind.  
"Mike!" She knelt down and turned his head towards her.  
He looked at her with a long face as he whimpered. His hand was covered in blood as he pressed it against the wound and a growing pool accumulated on the ground. Oscar got on the other side and took off his shirt.  
"Can you do anything for him?"  
"Yeah, give me a second." He pulled out another needle and injected it into Mike's side. As he began to treat him Mike's eyes became heavy.  
"Hey, don't you go," snapped Sam.  
Mike closed his eyes and softly smirked. He then placed a hand on her shoulder and, with a weak voice, he whispered, "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." Within a minute his hand went limp and slid off.  
"Mike?" She lightly slapped his cheek. "Mike!"  
Oscar stopped and checked for a pulse. "He's gone."  
She shook her head. "No, he doesn't deserve this!"  
Saber came over, Scott in her arms. He was finally beginning to stir. He rubbed his head and looked around. At first he was confused, but when he saw the scene in front of him, reality snapped back in.  
"What happened!?" He squirmed in her arms until she placed him down and ran over.  
When no one answered he got angry. "What happened?!" He then saw the four puncture wounds on his stomach. "He didn't."  
"He did." Saber replied nervously.  
Suddenly everyone looked at Xipher, who moaned as he started to get on his hands and knees.  
"You," Scott hissed. "Where's my gun?"  
As he marched, Saber grabbed him. "Please, it's not his fault."  
"Not his fault?! Look what he did!"  
"I did what now?" Xipher asked in confusion. He stood up and rubbed his head, but stopped as he felt something on his fingers. He looked at his hand and saw blood running down his arm. His eyes widened and he slowly turned around and saw Mike's body. "No," he gasped. "Please tell me I didn't do this."  
Saber's ears went back and she whined as she lowered her head, revealing the bite marks.  
He stepped back and shook his head. "No, this can't be happening. Not again!"  
"Again?" snapped Scott, "What do you mean again?!" Then is eyes widened in epiphany and he looked up at Saber. "You knew about this didn't you?!" He shook himself free of Saber's grasp.  
"I was about to tell you when the Rahkshi attacked. I'm sorry."  
"Sorry? SORRY?!" You had how long to tell us and you did nothing!? It's one thing to lose men to this 'Makuta', but to be killed by him!?"  
"Don't blame her." defended Xipher. "I'm the one who should've spoken up. I thought I could control myself through this." He paused and the slumped his head down. "And I was wrong."  
Sam spoke up. "Guys, none of this will matter if those things come back and catch us."  
A screech in the distance supported her theory.  
"She's right," said Oscar. "We can sort this out later."  
Scott had a cold, hard look on his face and he grabbed his gun and made his way to the rope. Saber carried Mike's body up the wall, while Xipher made sure Sam and the others made it up before scaling the wall himself. The thick fog had returned and the raft was completely hidden. He had another look at the fortress. In the far distance, Rahkshi were on their way, as if they sensed he was no longer a threat. He growled at them before climbing down to the raft. On board, the Marines had mixed looks of sorrow and disappointment as they stared at Mike's body. As they rowed away Xipher sat at a corner, facing away, and curled up. His spikes curled up tightly against his body and he said nothing as they paddled back with no sense of direction.


	13. Revelations

Daniel cringed his teeth and groaned while he shifted his body around to find a more comfortable position for his leg. All it did was make the pain worse and brought him to the point of screaming.  
Josh covered his mouth. "Keep it down," he whispered harshly.  
"Here," Oscar pulled out another needle and stuck it in Daniel's side.  
In a few moments, he transitioned back to quiet moans. Oscar brought his attention back to another wounded Marine; he only had a long scratch on his back. It wasn't deep, and certainly isn't fatal, yet for some reason his breathing was faint.  
"Come on, Richard, stay up." He lightly slapped the Marine's face.  
He stirred a bit, before slumping his head back over.  
"I don't get it. What's killing him?"  
Saber took a look and sniffed the air near his wound. "Poison," she whimpered quietly. "He must have been hit by a Lerahk."  
"Is there a cure?"  
"There are plants that will help, but I fear we're too late." Her ears and spikes went down. "I can't hear his heart."  
Oscar checked his pulse. She was right.  
"That's three now." he sighed and took his helmet off.  
For the next hour, the Marines paddled though the thick fog, barely seeing anything twenty feet out. Then, Saber's ears went up.  
"Guys," she whispered. "I hear the shore."  
The water slowly became choppy and the crashing sound of waves rang all around them. Suddenly they found themselves leaving the dense cloud of fog and into the view of a very cloudy sky. The light of dawn revealed the island to be less than a hundred yards away. Excited, the Marines paddled harder until the raft nearly crashed onto the sand. Saber and Xipher jumped out and pushed it onto shore. A few hundred yards to their left was the cliff the abandoned village sat on.  
Scott jumped off the raft. He and Sam pulled Takara's body off, while Josh and another Marine carried Richard's, and Saber carried Mike. They took them to the edge of the forest, where they laid their bodies down and piled sand over them. The Matoran gathered what rocks they could and placed them on top, and when done they stepped back. The Marines removed their helmets and placed them over their heart. No one spoke.  
This went on for over a minute until Scott placed his helmet back on and walked back to the raft. One by one they followed. He tied a rope to the raft and Saber pushed it back into the water. She, the Matoran and Scott pulled it along, while Daniel rested on the raft. Everyone followed, Xipher being in the back of the group, staying close enough for the beach waves to remove their tracks. The Marines were surprised Xipher wasn't taking lead, but their concerns were interrupted when Josh broke the silence.  
"So what happened to Mike?"  
Nobody answered.  
"Well?"  
Everyone then noticed Scott give Xipher a loathsome glare. They then looked over to him. All the curious stares made his ears and spikes face downwards. He let out a small whine and pulled his cloak tightly around him. As he did everyone saw his bloodstained fingers.  
"You did this?" gasped Daniel.  
Xipher rubbed his hands over each other. "It-it was an accident."  
Scott clutched his fist and spun around. "That was no accident," he hissed. "You intentionally tried to kill Saber as well. You almost killed me and Sam!"  
"Just let me explain-"  
Scott raised his tone. "What's there to explain? You lied to us! This whole time you had us believe you were some kind of hero, but you're really a monster. I don't even want to know what you did to that village."  
Xipher's eyes went wide. "You were there?"  
"Yes, and we found your claw mark on one of the huts."  
Xipher was almost speechless. "It's not what it looks like."  
"Oh it's exactly what it looks like." Scott growled, "I can't believe you would do such a thing!"  
Xipher took a step back appalled. "I didn't kill anyone there!"  
"Then where is everyone huh? What happened to them?!"  
Xipher froze, while his lips quivered for the right words. He then let out a soft, yet deep sigh and slumped his head down.  
"They left to make this place my prison."  
Scott was now silent, yet he didn't change his harsh stare.  
"But you don't understand. None of you do." He let out an awkward broken chuckle. "Then again you don't really know me." He then turned and walked to the forest.  
"And where are you going?" Scott asked suspiciously.  
"Back to my cave," he snorted, "where I can't hurt anyone."  
When he was gone there was a period of silence between the Humans and Matoran.  
Then Tiranu spoke out. "So, the legends are true."  
"What do you mean?" asked Daniel.  
The Matoran stuttered a bit as he spoke, "I've heard stories of a Toa who was turned into a monstrous version of himself. No one knows how it happened, not even the Toa, but eventually he broke the Toa code: He killed someone, and was banished for it."  
"Yeah, that sounds a lot like Xipher alright," sighed Saber.  
"Wait, you mean he actually was a Toa?" asked Scott.  
Saber nodded.  
"And all Toa start out as us."  
Everyone stared at the Tiranu and the Matoran.  
"That's quite the growth spurt," commented Josh.  
Saber didn't seem to hear him. "Please try to understand, he does his best to keep his emotions under control. Sometimes he slips and… well… moments like that on Destral happen."  
Sam stared out into the ocean and thought about it until she was in a trance-like state.  
"Sam?"  
She jumped and looked at Oscar.  
"Everyone's moving. You coming?"  
She paused for a moment. "Yeah," she said quietly and followed.

They could barely tell it was morning with the dark clouds over them. Soon they had reached the cliff side. Saber got in the water and pushed the raft onto shore. She then gently pulled Daniel off and carried him up the hill, where she led the way to the abandoned village. Once there, the Matoran searched each hut for anything useful, while the Humans decided to use the old beds for rest. Saber took Daniel into the center of the village and into the Turaga's hut. She placed him on a bed and walked out; Oscar soon came in.  
"Alright, let's see how its doing." He slowly removed the bandage and cleaned up the wound.  
Soon however, Daniel noticed he had a dreaded look on his face. "What's wrong?"  
"I-I need to see Scott about this first."  
"About what?" Scott asked as he ducked to enter the hut.  
"He… can't keep it."  
"What do you mean?" asked Scott.  
Daniel also had the same question in his expression as he sat himself up.  
"It's too damaged for me to fix. If we were back home we could just air lift him to a hospital and he'd have a better chance. But I have to take it off."  
Both men were speechless, but Daniel showed more denial as he shook his head.  
"No… no please! There has to be some other way!"  
"There is no other way."  
"Can't we just wait a bit for it to heal-"  
Oscar faced him. "Your leg is almost blown off Daniel! The tissue is either already badly infected or at risk of decaying. There's nothing that can save you, but cutting it off!"  
Daniel became silent, but the fear in his eyes never left.  
Oscar sighed. "I'm sorry."  
Scott then spoke up. "Do you need anything?"  
"Yeah, have someone gather a bowl, several clean clothes or rags and get Saber to find that Sestra fern."  
He nodded and left. Sam and the others saw him come out and hurried over to him.  
"What's going on in there?" she asked.  
He took off his helmet and rubbed his head. "He- he's going to cut his leg off."  
"What?! Why?"  
"It's too injured to repair."  
Saber was near the edge of the village, when her ears went up and heard the commotion. She then walked over. "Surely Xipher and I might have something that could help?"  
Scott gave her an uninviting look. "I think he's 'helped' enough."  
Her ears flattened out. "You know he never meant any harm. He fought Ruunaja to buy you time to get out."  
He stared at the ground in silence.  
Then Sam muttered under her breath. "Then why did he turn on us?"  
Saber looked at her with a guilty face and her spikes went down. "I'll explain latter on. After we help Daniel."  
"Very well," Scott sighed, "Oscar needs some of that fern stuff."  
She nodded slightly and left.

The thunder that rolled over the island complimented the mood everyone was in. While Oscar made preparations, Daniel felt the morphine wear off and did his best not to groan. He soon he gave up and made his pain known to everyone outside who was close enough to hear. He rolled his upper body to the side and stared at the medic with a worried look, soon glancing over at the entrance when Saber entered the hut with a large handful of ferns.  
"Perfect," thanked Oscar.  
He then dug through his medical kit and pulled out the tools he needed: Bandages, needle and thread, various vials of medicine, and a knife. Then a surprised look came across his face. He checked every pocket of his kit and then checked again. After three thorough searches he sighed in frustration and then handed a large cloth to Daniel.  
"I need you to wad it up and bite down, while Saber holds you."  
"Wait, don't you have morphine?"  
"Used it all up. You'll just have to grit and bear it."  
His eyes widened. He was about to fight back in protest, but Saber pushed him down on his back.  
"I'm sorry," she said with full sincerity and remorse.  
His breathing picked up and he tried to pull her hand off. He unwittingly moved his injured leg and yelled. She immediately shifted herself so that her left elbow rested on his stomach, while her hands held his legs down. It proved to be effective.  
Oscar looked over her body and at Daniel. "You ready?"  
He chocked on his tears and nodded before placing the cloth in his mouth.  
"Good now take slow, deep breaths."  
His breathing was far from slow, but he did his best to stay 'calm'. He saw Saber close her eyes and turn her head away and knew it was about to begin.

From inside their shelters the Marines and Matoran heard Daniel screaming. The Matoran seemed mortified, as if haunted memories were replaying themselves. Another roll of thunder crashed, this time closer. The growing storm was another blow to their attempt to sleep.  
Realizing he wasn't going to doze off any time soon, Scott walked out of his hut and went to the edge of the village. Sam was there too, sitting against a house with arms folded and legs crossed. She stared at the mark on the house across from her with deep thought, but the sound of his approach snapped her out of it.  
"Are you okay?"  
"Yeah," she said heavily.  
"You don't seem fine." He leaned his back against the same house and folded his arms. "What's on your mind?"  
She paused for a moment before answering. "It's all of… this. What happened to Mike in the base, what happened when we tried to escape, and what's happening now." She rubbed her head.  
They heard another scream from Daniel. A flash lit up the scene as he screamed, trailed soon by the rolling echo of thunder. She shook her head and stood up.  
She choked up. "I-I need some time to myself." As she started to walk into the forest Scott stopped her.  
"Wait, take this." He handed her a pistol. "Just don't go too far."  
She acknowledged by taking it and left.

Sam didn't let the darkness deter herself from going deeper into the forest. She knew it had to be around mid afternoon, but there was no way to truly know. It started to sprinkle. She didn't notice until it turned to a light shower, then it jumped to a heavy down pour. Another bolt of lightning flashed with thunder immediately clamoring overhead. She jumped and spun around, expecting Rahkshi to be present. There was none. But it didn't satisfy her. She shook her head at herself and turned back around.  
With the fear of Rahkshi tossed aside, she went back to her own thoughts. While the last few days were heartbreaking and horrifying, something troubled her. She kept shuffling between questions, each one more unsettling than the last. But it wasn't the lack of answers that had her bothered, it was figuring out the right question.  
The questions raced and clashed in her mind, leaving her with a migraine. The lack of sleep and the noise around her didn't help. She rubbed her forehead, but could not relieve the pain. Another clash of thunder and the constant bombardment took its toll. She fell on her knees crying. She held herself tightly as pure emotion overwhelmed her.  
"How did it all go wrong?" she choked.  
There was a moment where that question repeated itself in her mind. The question churned until she was mouthing it out over and over. Slowly it donned on her and a flurry of epiphanies cluttered her mind. But instead of taking time to sort through and comprehend it all she ran. She ran up the slope and continued on after reaching the top. She didn't stop until she reached her destination.  
The cave was far darker than she remembered. Slowly she came to the entrance. At the mouth of the cave she stopped and looked inside. It was pitch black.  
"Xipher?"  
Soon she made out a single blue orb staring shamefully back at her.  
"What do you want?" he asked in a soft, yet uninviting tone.  
"I want the truth." she choked and wiped her cheeks.  
He stared at her for a moment. She then saw the soft glow of his eyes disappear as he turned his head away.  
"You got the truth." he spat. "I'm a murderer."  
"I want the truth from _you_ ," she said more forcefully.  
She cautiously walked towards him, using her feet to feel around. When she felt she was near, she stared at him and clutched her fist. "Ruunaja knew about it didn't he?" She saw his eyes again and continued. "And he exploited it."  
He was silent at first. "I-I don't really remember."  
"How can you not remember?!"  
"It's complicated." His tone told her he didn't want to talk about it.  
She sat down and crossed her legs. "I have time."  
At first she saw surprise in his eyes, followed by objection. But she knew he could see her face as clear as daylight and used it to tell him she was serious. He soon looked downwards in defeat. He then stood up and walked a little farther into the cave, where his pupils shifted to red cross hairs. She smelled smoke and soon a small flame appeared and crackled as it grew into a good-sized fire. He took a few steps back and laid on his side, hissing and standing back up as he remembered the bullet in his arm. He tried again, more carefully. She then got up and sat back down on the opposite side. She noticed Xipher staring at the ground and fiddling his hands along the ground.  
"To understand it, it's best we go to where things went downhill. It all started during a rescue mission on an island called Xia."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Well it sure looks like a cheer-happy place." the Toa or air joked sarcastically.  
From the top of a cliff face, three Toa peered down at the fortress-like laboratory.  
The Toa of air continued, "I've heard-listened rumors of this place. Strange things happen in this area, and stranger-secret things happen inside."  
Xipher wasn't interested in anything he said, but he asked anyway. "Like what?"  
"I don't know. No one knows, but if our brother is in there it can't be good."  
The Toa of fire spoke up. "Looks like it's well guarded. I'm open for ideas."  
He looked to Xipher.  
"Follow me."  
They sneaked through the forest and by nightfall they were feet away from the walls. When a Vortixx guard looked away they sprinted to the wall and lay flat against it. Xipher focused his power and pulled out several large stones from the base as if they were playing blocks. He made a hole big enough for them to crawl through and as he took his turn he moved the stone blocks back into place. The hallways were tall and immense, most notably open and exposed. They ran to a nearby vent, where the Toa of fire then grabbed the bars and within seconds they melted. Inside, it was more than tall enough for a Matoran, but the Toa were left to squat as they crept down the vents.  
"Do we even know where we're going?" wined Xipher.  
"Not really." replied the Toa of fire. "But based on my experiences with fortresses they probably keep the prisons nearby and the more classified objects underground."  
"Then I suggest we split up. You find your brother and I'll find what I'm looking for."  
"I don't know. I've got a worry-bad feeling about this."  
"Just blow a strong gust of air through the vents if something happens okay?"  
Before they could object, Xipher slipped into another duct and was gone.

Xipher's search had been fruitless. He had no idea how far underground he was, but nothing he found seemed to relate to the vial. Instead, he found several Vortixx workers along his route, all appearing to be doing similar jobs. Finally he passed another opening and overlooked two Vortixx talking as they passed.  
"Is it ready? She's been waiting very patiently… and I'm saying that loosely."  
"She just picked it up."  
"And?"  
"She needs a test subject."  
"Use that Toa of ice. That's why we brought him here."  
Xipher's eyes widened.  
"She will and I'm sure she will be very pleased with the results."  
"But we've been unsuccessful at duplicating the key component."  
"She knows it. But she's willing to take what we've got anyway. Besides, she'll deal with the Toa of stone personally."  
"And what about her?"  
"She's a lost cause. Keep her chained up until we figure out how to dispose of her."  
Soon they walked away and Xipher continued his search. He traveled farther down the vents, looking for anything that would shed more light on what he overheard. Instead he found that the vent was getting smaller to the point that he had to crawl on his belly to keep going. He decided it was too inefficient, he used his blades to cut a hole at the base and jumped out.  
Staying close to the walls and crates, he made his way down the hallways. As he approached a corner, he heard light conversation and two shadows on the ground moving towards him. He backtracked and entered the first room he came in. He quietly closed the door and placed an ear and listened. Instead of conversation, he heard whining. Puzzled, he turned around and jumped back.  
In the center of the room was a large, white creature with light blue organic tissue. It had two rows of spikes along its back, a long slender, black tail, and a Rahkshi-like head with sharp teeth at the front. Its mouth was muzzled shut and its hands and feet were chained up, kept far apart. He understood why. They were tipped with long claws, yet the links themselves were unusually thick for such a thin creature. The creature had its ears and spikes down as it whined. It pulled against the chain in its attempt to take off the muzzle, but the chains wouldn't permit it.  
It gave up and whined some more, staring at Xipher with heartbreaking eyes. He on the other hand was shocked at the sight. He kept his back against the door.  
"Uh, nice Rahkshi-monster thing."  
It whined as if hurt by the comment. He heard talking on the other side of the door, and he started to sift through his options. There's no sneaking out, and fighting would make too much noise. The creature whined again. He looked at it and an idea began to turn. Slowly he walked up to it.  
He was uncertain if the creature was going to be hostile and for a moment he thought it was wondering the same thing about him. He stretched forth his hand. Within a few inches it pulled its head back, but soon brought up the courage and lightly rubbed its head against it. It left him puzzled that they would chain and muzzle a seemingly harmless creature. Either they were torturing it or it's a very good actor. He took a step back and drew out his blades. The creature whined again in panic and closed its eyes tightly in response.  
He swung the blade, whooshing through the air before striking the chain and slicing through it, just barely missing its hand. The creature jumped in surprise and stared at its free hand. He cut through the other chains and it was able to stand and move around. Only the muzzle remained, but when it stood to its real height of over nine feet he mentally vetoed the idea. He went back to the door and listened for anymore chatter. He heard nothing.  
"Great," he spat, "Now I'm stuck with this thing." He opened the door and peeked his head out.  
There was no sign of anyone coming and he sneaked out. The creature was more hesitant as it followed, peering it ears up and sniffing the air. It looked over behind its shoulder and accidentally walked into Xipher.  
"Hey!" he barked. "Watch it."  
It crouched down and whimpered, toying with the straps. "Why don't you run off like Rahi do and be a diversion?"  
It brought its head forward and rubbed him on the arm. He stepped away.  
"I didn't break you out because I was pet shopping. Go find your way out. I have other things to worry about." He marched off, leaving it to whine to itself.  
The halls he went down became more quiet and empty. There were noticeably fewer rooms to look into as well. He soon found himself at a dead end with one door to the right; next to it was a lock pad. Aside from the guards, it was the most security he's come across, but it was no problem for him. He placed his hands against the stone and imagined a door. With a good push a whole block of stone moved. When inside he pushed it back in place.  
The room was a mess of tools, chemicals and an unnecessary number of Rohtuka launchers scattered and pilled everywhere. He walked to a nearby desk and shuffled some things around. Soon he found a tablet labeled 'Project White Saber' he was about to dismiss it, when he noticed a carving on it with a very familiar being. It was similar in appearance to the creature he just broke out. The door swung open and he spun around and froze.  
The Vortixx who entered was stunned at his presence. "What in Karzahni!?"  
A Rohtuka launcher came up form behind her back and glowed red. Xipher jumped out of the way as a spinner whizzed past him. He then summoned a hand of stone that grabbed her. She hissed and tried to wriggle her way out. He drew out his blades and brought them lose to her neck.  
"I want answers," he hissed.  
"Fat chance, Toa." she spat. "There's nothing of interest here."  
He growled. "I disagree. A while back I intercepted a little 'package'. A vial containing a green concoction and apparently this was its final destination. So care to tell me what it does?"  
Her eyes widened. "You? You're the one who got it?"  
"Don't get off topic!" he snarled "What is it?!"  
Reluctantly she answered. "It's a serum, extracted from hostile Rahi to make the host more aggressive."  
"I noticed." he hissed to himself.  
"The growling and hissing is merely a desired side effect. It was intended to be the final component to a weapon. Only one sample was made and its creator was killed. We thought we could duplicate it, but you came along and-"  
"I know." he growled. "How to I reverse it?"  
"Reverse?" She then broke into a half laugh. "You can't 'reverse' it. You can only continue forward. You're only half complete."  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
She kept babbling. "Fuse with it Xipher, and you'll become more than you could ever imagine."  
"And what would that be?"  
"Destruction."  
Xipher paused. The word sent chills down his neck as he tried to figure out what that meant. Not wanting to hear anymore of it, he ran out of the room and back down the hall. He traced back his steps and passed a guard approaching from an adjacent hall. She saw him and immediately called the alarm.  
He found the vents and made a staircase out of stone. He hurried up and made it though the hole before a Rohtuka spinner struck it. A strong breeze flowed through the ducts. He followed the current until he heard heavy footsteps approaching.  
"Hey," said the Toa of air. "How'd the sneak-search go?"  
Xipher rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, it was informative… and 'enlightening'. What about you?"  
"No sign of him at all," replied the Toa of fire.  
"Odd, I heard one of them talk about him. He has to be here."  
"Unfortunately we can't stay. A guard sound-raised the alarm."  
Suddenly the metal below their feet sunk down a bit, making a loud metallic creek that bellowed through the vents. They all froze. The Toa of air was the first to say it:  
"Uh, oh."  
The vent gave way and they all fell through, screaming.  
"There they are!" shouted a guard.  
Xipher got up and summoned a wall of stone between them. The other Toa moaned as they stood on their feet.  
"I don't think we need to sneak our way out," said the Toa of fire.  
A spinner flew over them and they flinched.  
"Yeah, lets just run." suggested Xipher.  
They began to sprint down the hallways, blowing guards out of the way and summoning walls of stone and fire to stop followers. The exit was in sight. The Toa of air blew another gust of wind behind them, while they ran for it. Xipher had a strong lead, but none of them noticed a yellow spinner silently traveling through the air. When Xipher made it out, the spinner hit the door lintel and exploded. The Toa of stone found himself flying several yards before landing stomach first on the ground.  
When he got up he turned around and saw large rocks and debris everywhere. The entrance itself was on fire and inside he could hear smaller explosions along with the other Toa inside screaming. He had to go back and save them. And he planned to do just that. He began to summon his powers to clear a path for them, when something struck him form behind. He staggered back and screamed to the top of his lungs. His whole body felt like it was being torn apart and rearranged, only to be torn apart again as metal and innards moved and twisted into new shapes. What felt like hours to him only lasted mere seconds, and when over the pain was gone, yet he still had the sensation of throbbing pain throughout his body. His legs wobbled and he fell onto his knees, and then collapsed onto his stomach.  
Everything became blurry and his ears tuned out all noise. He got on his hands and pushed himself up, only to fall again halfway. He panted and as the world around him went black he cried out softly.  
"Mata Nui, help us."


	14. The Toa and the Beast

M.I.A. Ch 14

When Xipher woke up, the world around him spun. He moaned and slowly sat up. He rubbed his head and tried to recall the last thing he remembered. Then his eyes widened and he stood up. Frantically, he spun around looking for the fortress and the Toa. To his confusion and dismay, they were nowhere to be found. He wasn't even anywhere near them. The two moons illuminated the night sky, revealing a nearby pond surrounded by shrubbery. And around the oasis was barren dessert.

When he stood up, he noticed right away something was amiss. His legs felt like they were twisted back and forth and his body slumped forward. He straightened his back, but he immediately began to tilt backwards. He flailed his arms and re-corrected himself, reverting back to his slumped position.

"Ugh," he moaned as he rubbed his head.

He then froze as he realized his mask was shaped funny. It was smooth and arced back with a near flat surface. What was more puzzling was he couldn't feel his middle finger. "What is this, some kind of joke?" he asked himself with irritation and then looked at his hand. Sure enough it was missing. Not only that, but his fingers were elongated and clawed, and his pinky finger was attached to the base of his hand, appearing as another thumb. The sight freaked him out. His eyes widened and he looked at his other hand. It had the same problems. He yelled in panic and ran for the pond. The water splashed as he took a few steps in. When the surface became still, it reflected his appearance, sharp and clear as a mirror. He stared, eyes wide open, at his reflection: A thin yet masculine build, a Rahkshi-like head with green ears sticking out right behind, and two rows of spikes along his back.

He shook his head in denial. "No, no, NO!" He looked at himself again, making sure he

wasn't hallucinating.

Then something moving in the water caught his eye. It was serpent-like, black and slithered over and under the surface. Overwhelmed with the shock of everything, he stepped backwards to get away from it. But his foot slipped in the mud. He yelped and fell,landing on his rear. He looked back into the water and saw his six toes sticking out of the water, as well as part of the snake coming out on to land. He kicked it back while trying to get on his feet.

He ran several yards before stopping to look back. The water was choppy with disturbed sediments mixing in and the serpent was nowhere to be seen. He bent over and took a sigh of relief. But he then noticed a dragline coming out of the pond. It trailed across the dirt and ended up right next to him. From the corner of his eye he could see the serpent's tail, and didn't dare move. But after a few seconds, a realization came to him. He looked over his shoulder and followed the body of the snake up until he found it wasn't a snake, but his tail. He screamed to the top of his lungs.

The scream quickly changed itself into a beastly screech. Startled, he placed his hands over his mouth, and whimpered like a dog. Slowly he took his hands off and looked at them one more time. He then spoke to himself in a trembling voice.

"Mata Nui, what happened to me?!"

Thoughts raced through his mind. He remembered the trapped Toa, and he was about to save them. Then there was a flash of green, followed with pain. Pure, excruciating pain. His face then lit up in realization.

"The Vortixx," he gasped. "Someone had the final component." He looked at himself again. "I must have merged with it."

If it was true, then by that Vortixx's definition, he was 'complete'. But he needed confirmation that he was, or wasn't, a finished product of their design. He scanned the landscape around him and found the tall, mountain peak that separated the island's industrial city from the rest of the land. From that peak he could backtrack his way to the fortress.

As he left, his ears turned towards the back and picked up a rustle. He froze and spun around. Two rows of spikes stuck out from behind a bush. He drew out his swords and discovered they were now three-pronged blades that strapped around his wrist and arm, giving the appearance of having incredibly long claws. Regardless of their change, he cautiously walked around the brush and found the white creature he saved crouched down. The muzzle was off and it stared at him with large, dilated eyes.

"You," he gasped. "You followed me?" He didn't expect it so say anything but, to his surprise, it spoke.

"I didn't," she replied in a soft and small voice. "I followed Vaptech. He found you and carried you here."

He looked at her, convinced it wasn't the truth. "And just who is Vaptech?"

The bush to his right shook and before he could turn to look, a figure jumped out and landed on him. He fell over and onto his back. The event took his breath away for a moment. When he recovered he looked straight into the eyes of the figure, which sat on his torso.

"That would be me," the being said with pride. "And you are?"

Xipher pushed Vaptech off and stood up, dusting himself. "Toa Xipher," he replied flatly. "Er, at least I was a Toa." He looked at the two identical beings. "And from the looks of it I'm guessing you didn't always look like that."

Vaptech got back on his feet. "You're right." He pointed to the white stranger. "This here is, uh, well she doesn't have a name exactly. Mostly because she can't remember it, or anything else for that matter."

"It's true." she whimpered. Her ears and spikes went down. "I don't remember anything up until the last few days."

Xipher had a sorry look on his face, but then it lit up as he recalled something. "You know, while searching through the fortress I found a tablet referring you as 'White Saber'. Perhaps you could use that until you get your memories back."

She tilted her head to the side. "Saber will do." she said softly.

He then looked at Vaptech. "So, what about you?"

"Like you, I was a Toa a while back, but after doing the same gig for a few thousand years, I got bored. So I asked the Vortixx if they could do something for me. Pretty soon I volunteered for an experiment. While I resent them for keeping me captive, I'm pleased with the results." he smiled as he looked at himself.

Xipher was flabbergasted. "You actually like this?!"

"Well yeah," he replied casually. "With no one to recognize me, I can live my own life now."

Xipher's spikes went down. "But you're a Toa," he said bitterly. "You have a duty to your people. Are you really going to abandoned them?!"

"Like you?"

Xipher's eyes widened. "Hey!" he said with resentment, "I left my people so I could find answers to a substance that may be related with what I've become. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to find a way to reverse this." He then stormed off.

Vaptech ran in front of him and put his hands on his chest. "Woah big guy, you do not want to go back there. That place has gotten a little… 'messy'."

Xipher gave a dirty look and pushed him aside. "I don't care," he spat "So long as get what I came for."

Vaptech and Saber exchanged glances and then followed him.

The soft glow of dawn slowly illuminated the forest. Xipher knew he was getting close. He could smell the smoke. As the smell got stronger he picked up his pace. Soon he made it out into a large clearing, where the fortress stood on other side. Smoke bellowed out as it layin ruins.

The scene took his breath away. "No," he gasped. He went into a full sprint.

"Xipher, wait!" pleaded Saber.

He didn't listen. When he reached the fortress he searched around for anything intact. All he found was rubble.

He shook his head. "It's gone," he whispered in disbelief. "It's all gone."

Vaptech and Saber caught up to him.

"Told you," panted Vaptech. "Two Toa snuck in last night-"

"Wait," interrupted Xipher. "Toa? Aren't they your brothers?"

Vaptech gave him a confused stare. "No."

"Bu- But you were a Toa if ice."

Vaptech raised an index finger. "Actually, I was a Toa of Sonics. The color change was part of the request." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, they were looking for this 'Toa of ice' but didn't find him. So they just set me and a whole bunch of other Rahi free. However, since the Rahi were experiments, some of them were not quite 'stable'. They somehow managed to help tear the whole place down. If you're looking for something in there, it's probably destroyed."

Xipher's mouth gapped open and he starred at the wreckage. It took him a moment to recollect his thoughts. "Do you know how you became this?" he asked softly.

"Sorry," Vaptech's voice showed sincerity. "They took the liberty of making sure their process remained a secret."

Xipher then faced Vaptech. "Did you at least see who or what changed me?"

Vaptech's spikes went down. "No."

Xipher slowly shook his head." No," he whispered in sorrow. "I can't be trapped like this. I just can't"

"That must have been a horrifying experience." Sam said softly.

Xipher's spikes folded downwards. "It was." He paused. "But afterwards I felt… angry; angry that I couldn't save those Toa, and angry with who or what had done this to me."

Sam leaned back a little and tilted her head. "Did you ever find the people responsible?"

He dropped his head and replied weakly. "No. I searched for weeks; each dead end became more irritating than the last, until I finally gave up."

"So then what did you do afterwards?"

He was silent for a moment and stared at the fire. "I went home."

Scott had his back leaned against the hut, where Oscar finished bandaging Daniel. The combining sound of heavy rain and Daniel's moaning brought an ambiance of misery to the area. He tried to mentally shut it out, but being drenched and cold, it proved futile. Oscar walked out and Scott stood up in attention.

"How is he?" he asked with worry.

Oscar adjusted his helmet and answered sternly. "Hard to say. He made it through the operation, but we'll have to keep a close eye on his recovery." He paused. "Has Saber finished Xipher's backstory?"

"I'd say she's only scratched the surface. Just waiting for you to join in."

The two walked to a nearby hut and went in. There was hardly any room for them since everyone was inside and listening to Saber. A small flashlight in the center substituted for a fire.

When they had sat down Josh spoke. "I'd take it the family reunion didn't go smoothly?"

Saber nodded. "There was a brief fight between us and his brothers. They mistook us for monsters. If Xipher hadn't called out to his sister, it could've escalated."

Naromia stared at Xipher with her mouth gapped open. Her sword slipped out of her hand and fell to the ground. "Xipher?" she gasped. "Is that really you?"

Xipher lowered his head and nodded. "It's me."

She stepped forward and gently placed her hands along his cheek. "What happened to you?"

He slowly looked up, but didn't make eye contact with her. "I 'found' the answers I was looking for."

Naromia poured a cup full of a hot, orange drink. She handed it to Xipher, who blew the steam away before taking a sip. Saber and Vaptech sat next to him, perched on his bed, while the Turaga and Toa sat in a semicircle around them.

The Toa of water took her drink and sat down across from Xipher. "Why didn't you tell us before you came back?"

"I- I didn't want you to worry. I hoped to have cured myself, but my searches turned up fruitless."

"So then why comeback at all?" asked Terun.

Naromia gave Terun a cold look.

Xipher's spikes went down and his face lit up with a slight amount of embarrassment. "There was nowhere else to go. Besides, who else would accept a mutant other than his brothers?"

The Toa, except for Naromia, exchanged looks. Xipher noticed and his ears went down, while his tail curled around his legs.

Terun then spoke. "Our concern is whether or not you've gotten your 'anger' issue under control."

Xipher rubbed the back of his neck. "Well uh, mostly."

Terun crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Like the incident in the Tren Krom peninsula?"

Xipher's eyes widened. "You know about it?"

The Toa of ice spoke up. "News travels fast."

Xipher tensed up. "I promise, it's been getting better. I've taken anger management lessons and-"

"You beat a Toa into unconsciousness." snapped Terun.

"Okay, so I've slipped up once in a while, but it's not as bad as you think."

"I'm not willing to take that chance."

Saber butted in. "We've been with him for the last few weeks. He hasn't shown any aggression."

"You probably haven't ticked him off." muttered the Turaga.

Xipher growled at him. "That's a low one." he spat.

Naromia then stood up. "Brothers, please." she scolded. "Let's at least give him a chance."

The Toa were silent for a moment.

Then the Turaga spoke. "You have a week to prove me wrong." He then walked out the hut.

One by one everyone left until only Xipher and Naromia remained.

"So," said the Toa of water, "How do you plan on convincing him?"

He stared at the ground. "I don't know." he replied lightly. "To be honest, what Saber said isn't exactly true."

She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"Vaptech and I followed a lead. The Vortixx wouldn't cooperate, so I threw him across the alley, and let's just say I really underestimated my strength."

She frowned. "Xipher."

"I know, but please understand. I was very upset over what had happened to me."

"But if you haven't reversed that serum, then why did you come back?"

Xipher began to feel uneasy. "I already told you all."

Her tone became strict. "I want the _real_ answer."

He let out a long sigh. "Because I missed you." he uttered quietly and looked away.

Naromia was taken back by the answer.

"I don't know why, but I just wanted to see you again." He then curled himself into a ball, with tail wrapped tightly around his legs. "I didn't want to tell the others this because- well,"

She cracked a small smile. "I understand." She then walked up and put her hand on his shoulder. "But I wish you'd called for help. I would've come over and-"

Xipher cut her off. "I didn't want you to get hurt if something went wrong." He looked at himself. "And obviously something did."

"Yes, but it may not have happened if I was there to help."

Xipher thought about it and realized she was right. He took a long sigh.

"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself. No one could've predicted this. What matters now is how you're going to get through it all. And here's my advice: Don't do it alone."

"Look out!" cried Xipher.

Naromia did a backflip in time to miss a blow from a Nui-Jaga's tail. The scorpion-like creature retracted its tail and tried to sting her again.

The Toa of water dodged and summoned a jet of water at the creature through her sword. "Where did they all come from?" she panted. "I thought they were desert Rahi."

Xipher grunted as he spun around, holding another Nui-Jaga by the tail. He let go and it flew over the battlefield. "Guess they decided it was nicer here." he teased.

"Well it's nice of them to visit." Terun shouted sarcastically. "But it's time to send them on their way." He thrust his sword into the ground and sent a wall of fire in front of two charging Nui-Jagas.

They slid to a stop and turned around. Xipher had his back turned towards his team as he dealt with another Nui-Jaga. He stepped to the side, avoiding a strike from its stinger. As it drew back its tail, Xipher grabbed it and gave a hard pull. Metal screeched as he tore the tail off. The Rahi screeched wildly and scurried away. He gave a quick snort at the Rahi and then heard his sister cry out. He spun around and saw her on the ground, with one hand on her side as she crawled away from an approaching Nui-Jaga.

It thrust its stinger at her. She barely moved out of the way as it dug into the ground.

Naromia continued to dodge as she crawled, but Xipher saw she was having difficulty. Another strike got her right in the arm. She yelled in pain and covered the wound. Xipher felt scared and at the same time upset. That feeling soon turned to anger. Out of instinct he took a large breath of air, planted his feet firmly on the ground and roared. The loud, bellowing sound echoed through the forest and caused everyone to stop.

The Nui-Jaga that threatened Naromia halted mid-attack and stared at Xipher. Seeing that it worked, he roared again. It was enough to deter nearly all the Nui-Jaga, except for the one attacking Naromia. Xipher's spikes sprang up and rattled as he ran at the Rahi, letting out another roar on his way.

This time the Rahi turned around and ran, but Xipher refused to let it leave. He grabbed it by the tail and pulled it backwards before drawing out his blades and stabbing it on the back. The Rahi let out a powerful screech and squirmed violently before slowly dying. After a few deep breathes, Xipher heard his sister call out.

"Xipher?" she asked.

He could hear a hint of fear in her voice. His eyes widened and slowly he turned around. Sure enough, she looked a little pale. He then looked over to Terun, who's expression showed more disbelief than worry.

"What in Mata Nui's name was that?!" Terun spat.

Xipher hunched forward with spikes and ears facing down, while his tail curled around him. "I-I don't know." he muttered. "That's never happened before."

Terun still looked skeptical. "Xipher, this is not the kind of behavior you promised. The constant growling and hissing you made all week was one thing, but roaring like an ash bear? Then you killed a Rahi when it was no longer a threat! It's unacceptable."

Xipher choked. "But-"

Terun brought his hand up and cut him off. "I'm sorry, but you need to leave and don't come back until you actually find a cure for yourself."

Naromia looked at the Toa of fire with a heart-broken look. "Brother."

Terun shook his head. There was no changing his mind. She let out a sigh and proceeded to stand up. Partway up she hissed and fell back down. Her brothers rushed to her side.

"Sister, what's wrong?" asked Terun.

"Nothing." she bluffed. "Just a few scratches."

Xipher squinted his eyes. "Their venom." he hissed, "you look like you took a large dose."

Terun pulled out a small sack and searched its contents. "I have something that can help." he held out a golf-ball-sized bulb-like root and handed it to her. "However I don't think it'll be enough."

Xipher noticed its scent right away. It was bitter and irritated his nostrils. As she ate it he took a few steps back to get away from the smell. However, he could still get small whiffs of it and walked farther away. He hated his heightened senses. He could hear people talking behind his back even when far away. The chirping birds were even worse, letting off sounds at a pitch that annoyed him. But what he hated most was his acute sense of smell.

He could smell virtually everything he couldn't have smelled before: a rotting Rahi several miles away, distinct odors given off by his brothers, and most notably trails. In fact it was his sense of smell that alerted him to the Nui-Jaga's presence in the first place.

He suddenly stopped mid-thought. An idea came to him and he brought his head low to the ground and began to take several, rapid whiffs of air as he walked around the area. Terun noticed and gave him a funny look.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying something out." Soon he picked up a faint smell.

Like a bloodhound, he followed the scent until the odor got to its strongest point. He immediately began to dig. A few inches down he found was he was looking for: the exact same root, nearly the size of a peach. He pulled it out and cleaned the dirt off as he walked over and then handed it to Naromia.

She smiled. "Thank you brother." And then ate the bitter root. Within a few minutes she was well enough to stand on her feet, but still required help walking.

Terun and Xipher got on each side and held her up by her arm as they made their way back to the village. Once at the village, the two brought Naromia to her hut and laid her down for rest. Saber, Vaptech and the other Toa waited for them outside.

"So, how did it go?" asked Vaptech.

"I wouldn't exactly call it a success." said Terun. "Xipher's condition is far worse than what he claims it to be."

Xipher faced him with surprise. "That's not true. I already told you, I didn't know I could do any of that. Please just let it slide. You know at heart I'm still a Toa."

Terun faced him with a bitter look. "You're a Hordika, that's what you are."

Xipher took a step back, appalled, and then retaliated in anger. "How dare you!"

Saber and Vaptech immediately grabbed him by the arms as he tried to swing a punch at him. The other Toa stood between him and Terun.

"Watch it Xipher." the Toa of fire spat. "Keep acting like this and people will call you by a different name: Manas."

Xipher stopped struggling and stared at his brother with wide eyes. When Saber and Vaptech began to release their grip he shrugged them off and slumped his way back to his hut.

Xipher was in the middle of packing his belongings when he heard a light knock on the door. He looked over his shoulder and saw Naromia at the entrance. She had cloth bandages wrapped around her arm and waist.

"Brother?" she asked gently.

He stared at her for a moment and then turned his attention back to packing.

She didn't let this deter her and spoke up. "I'm sorry, I tried to talk them out of it but they won't budge.

"I know." he said flatly. "I appreciate you trying though." There was a long period of silence.

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going back to Xia. Hopefully I'll find a cure and be a Toa again."

He went over to the other side of the hut to retrieve something, but she stepped in his path. "I'm going with you this time." she said firmly.

"Naromia." he groaned.

She snapped back. "I'm serious. If you leave, you'll be longing to come back and see me." She then grinned. "Besides, I got approval from Terun."

Xipher looked at her with surprise. "Even grouchy, you-know-who?"

She nodded.

"But why?"

The Toa of water shrugged. "He thinks I can keep you at a certain level of composure."

"Saber can do a decent job at that." he snickered.

Norma let out a smirk. "Well then, I guess you don't need me after all." She turned around and was about to walk away.

Xipher stretched an arm out to her. "Wait," he rushed.

She turned around with eyebrows cocked and a smile on her face.

His spikes went down and he let out a quick sigh. "Okay, you can come. But if you end up looking like me then-"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." she smiled. "Now I'm going to get my things. We'll be meeting over at the pass okay?"

As she left Xipher cried out. "Wait."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder.

Xipher stiffened up. "About earlier today… Do you think Terun is right about me? Could I really become a-" he paused. "Monster?"

She frowned. "Xipher, don't say that. You're nothing like a monster."

"How so?"

She faced herself towards him and put a finger on her chin. "Well, you're caring, you go out of your way to protect the Matoran and while you've inherited some Rahi-like characteristics, you still have the heart of a Toa. It just takes a while for people to notice."

"Thanks" he said quietly.

She nodded and then left.

Xipher went back to packing and while he did so he pondered over what she said. She was right about one thing: he cared too much about people, especially Naromia. But he would never admit it. Still, the odd sounds and animal-like behavior was something to be concerned over. But if these things don't cross the line between Toa and beast then what does? He shook his head at the thought.

"No, that would never happen." he muttered to himself. His nose then caught whiff of something. It was a new scent, accompanied by several similar scents. It was a large group. He could make out nearly fifteen different individuals, but just who or what they belong to was unknown.

Xipher stepped outside to investigate. The wind carried the scent from the village.

A high-pitched screech ripped through the forest. Xipher flinched and looked around for

the source. Screams came from the village while flames erupted out of some of the homes.

Xipher's eyes widened.

"No." he gasped, before running to the aid of his village, and more, importantly his sister


	15. The Monster Inside

M.I.A. Ch 15

"What was Ruunaja doing at his village in the first place?" Scott asked with skepticism.

"Apparently the Nui-Jagas were working for him." explained Saber. "They were

supposed to scare the Matoran away so he could open a hidden reserve of energized

protodermis. When that failed, he came to do the job himself. And he brought friends."

Xipher saw Vaptech fly across the village before landing hard on his stomach. It was

just the beginning of the chaotic scene that unfolded in front of him. While Saber helped

Matoran escape, his brothers clashed against various types of Rahkshi. The only Toa missing

was Naromia. He looked around for her until he saw two dark silhouettes contrasting against

the flames in the background. The one to his right was tall and masculine, while the one on the

left he could make out as Naromia.

Worried for her safety, he sprinted over. As the tall being swung his staff at the Toa,

Xipher pounced and tackled him to the ground.

"Get off me!" grunted the stranger.

A sudden surge of electricity pulsed into Xipher's body. He yelped and let go.

Both recovered and got back to their feet.

The stranger took a good look at Xipher and scoffed. "What are you suppose to be, her

pet?"

Xipher growled. "I'm a Toa." he spat.

The intruder chuckled. "And I'm the Great Spirit."

Xipher's ears pulled back while he flared his teeth. "Leave this place." he snarled. "And

we'll spare you the trouble of an all-out brawl." He was answered with a mocking laugh.

"Quite the contrary, Toa-?"

"Xipher." he hissed.

"Ruunaja." replied the other in an elegant, yet sinister manner "I'll have you know that

it's you who should be leaving. Leave now and I'll spare you a slow and painful death."

Xipher immediately pounced on him. The Makuta used his staff to push Xipher away by

the chest, and flung the mutant over him and onto the ground.

He then turned to Naromia. "I'd put him back on his leash if I were you."

She replied with a cross face. "Leave him alone." She channeled her powers through

her sword and fired a large blast of water.

Before the jet reached the Makuta he teleported. Shocked, Naromia frantically looked

around.

Xipher got back on his feet and saw him sneak up to Naromia from behind. As he

readied his staff to strike, Xipher went into a full sprint. He jumped and tackled his sister. The

shock of the blow made her release her grip on her sword. Mid-tackle, the staff was thrust

down and impaled the mutant's tail to the ground. Xipher let out a scream and looked over his

shoulder. His tail was caught between the two blades and dug itself far enough into the ground

to keep him from pulling the end of his tail out. Just trying to was proving to be extremely

painful for him.

Ruunaja took Naromia's sword and examined it before looking back at Xipher. "While I

enjoy seeing people suffer, I have a busy schedule to keep up with, so I'll make this very quick

for you." He raised the blade high into the air.

There was a brief moment for Xipher, where everything felt like it was moving in slow

motion. At first, all hope of escape was gone, but from the corner of his eye, he could see his

sister looking at the unfolding scene with dismay. Yet there was something in her eyes that

refused to accept this as the end. Whether or not it was instinct, or the way she looked at him,

he decided this would not be the end. And a crazy idea came to him.

As the sword went down he took a giant leap forward. He cringed his teeth and grunted

at the pain. The end of his tail pulled free, but not without a severe, long gash. It was a relief to

be free, but another surge of pain erupted; where the tail connects to his body. He fell to the

ground, letting out a powerful screech.

"Xipher!" yelped Naromia.

When he got on his hands and knees he looked over his shoulder and saw his tail,

several yards away, wriggling around like a snake with no head. He then looked over at

Ruunaja, who fiddled with the blood-covered sword.

"I guess you'll suffer after all." he spat.

Xipher stood up to face him again, but the pain still throbbed and he squatted down.

Naromia got on her feet and summoned all the water in the surrounding area and

formed a giant wave. It appeared in the blink of an eye and took the Makuta by surprise,

sweeping him off his feet and carrying him over a nearby hut. She ran to Xipher and supported

him as he tried to stand up.

"Xipher you need to go." she pleaded.

"No," he barked. "Not without you."

"Please brother, you can't continue on like this."

"Neither can you without your sword."

To his surprise she replied with a warm smile. "I can get a new sword anytime. Friends

however, are very hard to replace. Now go."

He paused over it and then slowly stood up. "No," he said firmly. "We do this as a team."

Her smile disappeared and she looked at him with a straight face. "I appreciate it,

brother." She then clutched her fist. "But you're in no condition to fight."

Xipher heard something roaring form behind. He turned around and was met with a

giant wall of water. He yelped as it swept him off his feet and carried him to the edge of the

forest. He was gently deposited on the ground and left to cough the water out.

"If you really want to help, tend to the Matoran!" she shouted as she ran to Ruunaja,

whom had recovered.

"Sister, no!" he coughed.

Naromia grabbed the Makuta's staff. With a good, hard tug she was able to free it.

"Well, this will be interesting." smiled Ruunaja as he tossed her sword to his right hand.

Xipher heard the weapons clash against each other and looked up. Naromia was

throwing everything she had at him, occasionally shooting jets of water at the Makuta. Ruunaja

fought back with shadow bolts. It looked like they were tied, but considering all the powers a

Makuta had, that could change very quickly.

Xipher got back on his feet and drew out his blades. Regardless of what she advised,

he was going to fight, even if it resulted in his demise. But then he felt something snag his feet.

He looked down and saw roots coming to life; springing out of the ground and wrapping

themselves around his leg. He was stunned, but quickly snapped out of it and began to cut

them off. But the roots were entangling him faster than he could cut.

A Rahkshi of plant life approached him and let out a screech. Xipher returned the

gesture and roared at it. It tilted its head to the side, almost as if curious about what he had

snared. Xipher furiously fought off the roots. One wrapped around his wrist and began to pull it

downward. He quickly cut it off and freed his hand, but the decapitated root split itself into

several more and advanced upward along his body.

Angered at his lack of progress, he leaned himself forwards to swipe the Rahkshi, but

even with his blades it was far out of his reach. This made him cross. His spikes rattled and he

flared his teeth. The Rahkshi wasn't buying into his intimidation.

Xipher's eyes changed to a fiery red and his pupils took on the shape of cross hairs.

Suddenly a beam of heat vision erupted out of his eyes and struck the Rahkshi. Its head armor

opened and it screeched as the heat melted a large hole through its chest armor. Xipher pulled

himself back, shocked. The Rahkshi armor collapsed to its side. The Kraata inside quickly

squirmed out and slithered away. The roots stopped advancing. By then, they had already

reached his chest.

Xipher's eyes changed back. He had a surprised look on his face. He never knew he

could do that. But he was in the end happy with the results. He snorted at the Kraata and then

began to remove the roots. He then looked at Naromia to see how she was fairing. It wasn't

good.

She looked weary from the fight. The Toa of water was barely able to dodge Ruunaja's

attacks. He had to hurry. Quickly, he cut off the roots, but stopped when he heard her yell.

When he looked back up he saw Ruunaja twisting Naromia's arm to her back. She expended

the last of her energy trying to pull herself away.

Ruunaja leaned over and whispered something in her ear. Xipher could pick up his

voice, but couldn't make out what he said. However, his sister's expression gave a big clue.

For a brief moment Naromia's eyes locked on to Xipher's. They appeared almost watery, and

without hope.

That eye contact was broken when Ruunaja drove her sword into her back and out her

torso. She let out a quick gasp. The Makuta let her go and took a step back while she clasped

the blade and fell to her knees.

Xipher's eyes shot wide open. "NAROMIA!"

Sam could feel her heart sink. "I'm so sorry, I-I didn't know."

"It's not your fault." He placed his hands firmly on the ground and stared at the fire.

Then he hissed. "It's all his fault." he spat. His claws dug into the rock. "You should've seen the

look on his mask. The way he smiled as she fell. It was sickening!"

Sam noticed he was breathing harder, and became a little uneasy.

"Then he walked away as if it was nothing while she lay dying." He panted heatedly and

his eyes turned red. Then the next words he spoke scared Sam, as his voice suddenly became

deeper. "I wanted to kill him!" He then appeared to be in pain as he curled up.

Sam noticed his body beginning to change and jumped to her feet. "Xipher please, calm

down." She ran over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Xipher!"

He swung his arm at her and roared. She staggered backwards and out of the way in

time, but it surprised her so much that she tripped and fell on her back. Xipher towered over

her, gazing downward. She frantically crawled back and kept her hand close to her pistol.

When Xipher saw the petrified look on her face, his eyes changed back to blue. For a

moment, Sam thought she saw confusion on his face. He then looked at his hands. His claws

were elongated, but slowly changed back to their original length. He looked back at Sam with

wide eyes and a gapped mouth as he realized what just happened. His ears pulled back,

followed by his spikes.

Sam kept still. "Xipher?" she asked quietly.

The mutant slowly walked backwards before spinning around and making a run for the

exit.

"Xipher!" She scrambled to her feet and ran after him. "You can't run away from your

problems."

Xipher stopped outside the entrance and faced her. "In case you haven't notice, I don't

have a problem, I am the problem! In just a few years I go from a Matoran to this- this…

Monstrosity! And don't try to deny it, you saw what I was… what I did to Mike." He shook his

head. "I'm sorry, but you're all better off without me." He then pointed a finger towards the

coast. "Just go. I'll try to hold them off as long as I can."

"Don't." she begged.

"It's not up for discussion. Now go."

She looked up with pleading eyes.

Seeing that she wouldn't go, he roared. "Go!"

Sam flinched and slowly stepped backwards, and then turned around and walked away.

She stopped for a moment and looked over her shoulder. Xipher hung his head low, with ears

down and spikes folded close to him. He grabbed his cloak and pulled it tightly around him as

he slowly walked back into the cave. She let out a quick huff and then went on her way back to

the village.

The rain poured heavily. Sam hugged herself to keep warm. Slowly she made her way

down the hill; slipping occasionally as the mud gave way under her feet. Soon the rain

lightened up to a shower. It wasn't much relief to her, but it was better than a downpour.

She took the time to reflect on what Xipher had told her. But it was Xipher's sudden

change that was most revealing. He started to change when he was angry. She stopped. No, it

couldn't be anger; otherwise their first encounter would have ended more violently. It had to be

something deeper: rage. It all made sense to her. She then realized what happened.

Xipher became enraged at his sister's death, turned into an even more monstrous form

of himself and attacked. There was, however, one problem: on Destral, why did he attack

Saber and her friends instead of Ruunaja? It didn't make any sense. She looked back up the

hill. She doubted Xipher would tell her, but hopefully Saber would have the answer to that. As

she considered the idea, a bush rustled.

She spun around but didn't see what caused it. She kept still and listened. A deep growl

made her stiff. She slowly turned around and looked into the glowing eyes of a Muaka. It flared

its saber teeth and opened its mouth. Sam slowly stepped backwards and drew out her gun.

She pointed it into the air and fired. The shot was loud, but did nothing to scare the Rahi. It

didn't even flinch. Sam gulped and aimed the gun at the tiger's head. It roared and charged at

her. She didn't hesitate to pull the trigger. Two shots fired and made their marks on the

Muaka's head. The Rahi yelped and dropped to the ground.

Sam took the moment to calm herself, but another Muaka emerging from her right got

her heart jumping again. A large snake accompanied the beast, which she found very odd.

Three Nui-Jagas came from her left, a deer-like Rahi appeared from behind and from above

were two Barakas monkeys. Everywhere she looked there were Rahi, all appearing to put their

differences aside to fight one enemy: Her. A Rahkshi marched up and stood behind the Nui-

Jagas. It was magenta in color, while its spikes and staff glowed a soft white. Its head armor

opened up and it let out a screech. In unison the Rahi let out their calls and charged.

She spun around and ran. "Xipher!" she screamed, hoping he was able to hear her. A

Muaka flanked her form the left. Sam slid to a stop and fired her gun. Two struck it in the chest

and a third went through the head and took it down. There was a hiss that came from behind.

Sam turned around while moving sideways, when a giant stinger darted forward and slashed

her along her upper left arm. She yelped and covered her wound for a moment, and then took

a few steps back and fired a shot into the scorpion's head.

More Rahi were coming. She turned around to run, but only tracked a few feet when

more Rahi cut off her path. Frantic, she looked around for an escape, but found none. As she

took a step back she tripped over a fallen branch. The magenta Rahkshi observed from behind

the Rahi as they enclosed on her.

Staying near the ground, she looked around. Each step closer they took made her

wonder if this was really how it would end. Even with a half loaded gun, she couldn't fight them

all off. She heard a branch from high above shake. She looked up to see what was coming and

in a split second curled into a ball and covered her head.

Xipher landed on all fours, right above her and let out a deep roar. The Rahi jumped

back, spooked by the sound. Sam peeked around. His cloak obscured everything behind her.

When Xipher stood up and roared again she looked at the Rahkshi. It used several clicks and

whistles to communicate with the Rahi. They seemed a little hesitant to attack Xipher, but

eventually a Nui Jaga mustered up the courage to strike.

Xipher grabbed its stinger mid-strike and ripped it off. Xipher roared again, but the Rahi

still didn't move. They were in a conflict between running from their greatest fear and obeying

their leader, and Sam realized it. She jumped to her feet and shot the Rahkshi. The first bullet

ricocheted off the shoulder armor. The second hit it in the center of the chest. As it staggered

back in surprise, a third bullet went through an opening in the armor and bore through the right

side of its head.

The Rahkshi let out a half squeal as it felt to the ground and squirmed. The glow of its

spikes and staff faded as it slowly failed until it was motionless. Sam remained stiff as she and

Xipher examined the Rahi around. They seemed unsure of what to do. Xipher growled and let

out one more roar. All of the Rahi scrambled, crying out with squawks and chirps. When they

were out of sight, Sam gave a sigh of relief.

Xipher crouched down and spun her around and held her firmly by the arms. "Are you

alright?"

Sam quickly nodded. Yeah… yeah I'm alright. Thanks."

When he let go she rubbed her arm. Xipher noticed the tear in the sleeve. There was

blood around the edges. He pulled her arm towards him and moved the cloth aside. The gash

was small, nearly three inches long, but was over a half-inch deep. There was a slight

discoloration appearing around the wound.

"What got you?" he asked.

She took a moment to recall. "One of those giant scorpion-things. Nui Jaga I think it is."

His eyes widened and he took a quick whiff of air above the wound. The discoloration

fully developed and spread out like roots.

Xipher quickly pulled his head back. "Sam get on." he rushed.

She tilted her head to the side. "What?"

Xipher then grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up. She yelped as she was thrown

over him and onto his back.

"Hold on tight." he ordered.

She didn't hesitate and wrapped her arms firmly around his neck and looked over his

shoulder. Without warning he ran. Sam's grip tightened for several seconds before calming

down enough to relax.

"Where are we going?!" she asked. "The camp is the other way."

"We're not going to the camp." he barked. "Now shut up." He leaped into the air and

landed on a branch. From there he jumped from tree to tree, while Sam did her best not to look

down.

For over a half hour he jumped through the canopy of the forest. The rain had

disappeared, yet the forest grew darker as dusk approached.

"Where exactly are you taking me?" asked Sam.

"You'll see," he panted. The weary mutant slowly carried her uphill. Soon the slope

plateaued and he leaped to the ground and ran.

Sam was feeling very tired and a little lightheaded. Gradually her grip loosened and she

slipped off his back, letting out a quick yell on her way down. Xipher immediately stopped and

spun around. She got on her feet in a sluggish manner and once up she swayed slightly from

side to side.

"Sam, are you-"

"I'm fine." She walked towards him tipsily, but only made a few steps before falling to

her knees.

He rushed over and scooped her in his arms before turning around and running again.

"Just a little farther." he told her.

Sam looked around and quickly recognized the area. Xipher had brought her to the

Osprey. He took her to the entrance and placed her on the floor.

"Wait here," he ordered, and then left. But he stayed within her sight, while he stuck his

head towards the ground and sniffed the air.

Sam slowly got on to her feet. Immediately she felt lightheaded and sat down on the

crate. Even though she was drenched, she felt very warm. She wiped the rain and sweat off

her forehead and laid back against the wall. Several minutes passed and the urge to cool off

grew on her. She slowly sat herself up and started to pull her shirt off and over her head.

Xipher returned with two baseball-sized roots. When he went inside, he paused in

shock. The veins along her arm were dark blue and were spreading. She faced him with dark

circles around her sunken eyes, while the dark veins climbed her cheek. He had never seen

such a symptom before and it worried him.

He extended his hand out. "Here, eat these."

"I'm not hungry." she softly murmured.

"Sam you have to." he said forcefully. "This is the only thing that can cure the venom,

and I'm not even sure it will work because you're, well…. Human."

She stared at the roots before slowly taking them from him. She took a bite and her face

contorted. "Man, that's bitter."

"Just eat it." he snapped, but did so gently. "All of it." He turned around and left the craft

to scavenge amongst the crates and supplied left behind.

Sam looked at the root in a disgusted manner, like a child looking at the spinach on their

plate. She brought the root up to her mouth and slowly gnawed on it. By the time Xipher came

back she had barely ate the first root.

Xipher walked passed her with an armful of supplies. "Good, now eat the other one."

She gave him a look of displeasure before chewing on the second root. Xipher dropped

the supplies and went through them. He pulled out a pair of dry clothes and threw them to

Sam. Xipher then unwrapped a foam bed pad and laid it on the ground, followed by a sleeping

bag and a pillow.

As he took out another sleeping bag he looked over to Sam. She already had changed

camisoles, and was now putting on the dry pair of pants. He then noticed a small piece of

unfinished root on the crate. Considering how much of it she ate, he let it pass and assisted

her to the bed.

"You should really put on a shirt. It's going to get cold."

San laid down and brought the sleeping bag up to her waist. "I know." she softly replied.

"But I feel so hot."

"I'm sure you do, but soon you'll be shivering."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Xipher wasn't convinced. He took off his cloak and hung it from the top of the hanger

door to serve as a makeshift drape. The room was almost completely dark. Sam could only

see the soft glow of Xipher's blue eyes and his heart light. The dark was no problem for him.

His pupils changed into cross hairs and he walked around, being able to see as if it were

daylight.

He curled up on the floor and placed the sleeping bag over him as a blanket. He then

spoke softly to Sam. "Get better, okay?"

Sam looked over at his eyes and smiled weakly. "I didn't realize you had a gentle and

'nurturing' side." She saw his eyes grow wide.

"I don't." he rushed.

"Yes you do. You actually care about us."

Xipher's ears pulled back. "Not always. At first, I didn't want anything to do with you or

your group."

"And yet you stayed with us. Why?"

Xipher paused. When he spoke his voice was filled with regret. "Because I- I wanted to

sabotage the raft."

Sam looked at him with surprise. "Why would you do that?" she said with

disappointment.

"Because you're Humans. Out there they will reject you, turn a blind eye to your pleads

for help. They'll hunt you down and cast you out."

"Just like you?"

He paused. "Yeah, just like me. I just didn't want you all to go through what I

experienced." He moved his head away in shame.

Sam stretched forth her hand and placed it on his cheek. "Xipher, what you did was

wrong, but it still proves that you care for us. You taught us how to survive here, saved us from

wild animals and came all the way over to rescue me. You might not see it, but you're a good

Toa."

He jerked his head away. "No. I'm not. A good Toa doesn't break the Toa code."

"Which is?"

"To not kill."

For a moment Sam was speechless, as she was hesitant to ask. "You changed into that

'thing'. After she died."

He nodded. "I remember holding her in my arms. When her heart light faded, I felt hurt.

That hurt turned to anger, and then grew into rage. Then I felt something odd… power. I

openly accepted it, believing I could use it to stop Ruunaja, but I quickly realized something

wasn't right. I-I tried to stop it, but my emotions were overwhelming. That's when everything

went blank."

An unearthly roar shot though the village. Ruunaja, the Toa and Rahkshi froze and

looked around. The Makuta didn't notice Xipher jumping over a wall of fire and running towards

him. The mutant let out another roar and jabbed his blades into Ruunaja's back, which came

out though his stomach. The act took everyone by surprise, especially Ruunaja.

As Xipher pulled them back, Ruunaja stepped away and assessed his wound. The

blades had punctured the protosteel armor, allowing anitdermis to leak out. He thought of it as

nothing to really worry about, but when Xipher used his laser vision and disintegrated some of

this essence, he reconsidered. He covered his wound the best he could. "Take him out!" he

ordered before teleporting away.

All the Rahkshi diverted their attention from the Toa and attacked Xipher. He hissed at

them and charged. The Toa slowly lowered their weapons and watched with a mixture of awe

and terror as their mutant brother slew the Rahkshi with ferocity and aggression. As the last

Rahkshi fell, Xipher looked over their torn and mangled remains.

The Toa of air cleared his throat. "Well, that was an interesting way to defeat Makutasons…

and you have an interesting new look."

Xipher turned and faced them. They all took a step back when they saw his blood-red

eyes and long fangs. He growled loudly at them.

Terun had a concerned look across his mask. "Brother?"

The mutant let out a roar and then pounced at them.

"He killed them, didn't he?" asked Scott.

Saber's ears pulled back. "Terun survived by creating a wall of fire too high for him to

get over. However, it separated him away from the Matoran."

Josh's mouth gapped open. "He didn't."

She nodded. "He went after them." Her head sunk down. "Vaptech and I did what we

could to stop him, but by the time Vaptech was able to knock him out he had managed to kill

over a dozen of them, including the Turaga."

Scott rubbed his forehead. "But why? If Ruunaja is the one he was after, why kill his

own people?"

"Nobody knows." Saber whispered. "Not even Xipher."

"What do you mean?" asked Oscar.

"Upon waking up, he had no memory of the event. Not even of the monster he became."


	16. Seeking Liberation

M.I.A.: CH 16

In a jolt, Xipher woke up. He lifted his head up and looked around. The faint light of

dawn made its way through the tears in Xipher's cape. His ears pointed upward, listening in for

any sign of an unwelcomed visitor. When he found it was safe he faced Sam. She was laying

back facing him, wrapped tightly in her sleeping bag.

"Sam?" he whispered softly. There was no answer, let alone any movement. "Sam," He

said a little louder.

Still nothing happened. His spikes dropped down and he shook his head in disbelief. "It

was supposed to work." He thought to himself and reached over.

Right as he touched her, she let out a soft mumble and stirred around. Xipher recoiled

back in surprise before taking a big sigh of relief. He then let out a yawn and stretched himself

out like a cat. Despite wanting more rest, he knew they had stayed for too long. He leaned

over and shook Sam by her shoulder. "Hey, wake up."

Sam stirred around. He shook her harder.

"What?" she mumbled.

"It's time to go."

She was still for a moment and then slowly opened her eyes and sat up. Her hair was a

mess, weaving around in all directions. Xipher gave a good long stare. He stopped himself

from chuckling and instead let out a soft smirk.

"Why?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Can't we sleep a few more hours?"

"Your brothers must be worried sick about you. Hurry up and get ready." He walked to

the entrance and pushed the cloak aside before looking over his shoulder. "Oh, and I'd tame

that wild mane of yours if I were you," he added, and then left.

Sam weaved her hand through her hair and stopped halfway as she realized what he

meant. After pulling her hair back into a ponytail and getting dressed, she opened a few crates

and found some spare ammunition. She stepped out of the Osprey, reloading her pistol. When

done, she looked up and saw Xipher searching the remaining crates.

Without looking at her he spoke. "There's some fruit over there. Hurry and eat."

She found the fruit on a crate and took a bite. As she ate, she opened the crate. It took

a moment before the contents shocked her. "I furgot we had dis," she said with a mouth full of

fruit.

Xipher walked over and took a look. "Why didn't you take it with you before?"

Sam swallowed. "Because it's a big, heavy gun. No one can carry that thing for very

long."

Xipher picked it up and examined it. It wasn't until he tossed it in the air like it was

nothing that Sam got an idea and tilted her head to the side.

"But thinking about it, you might not have trouble with it," she said with a smile.

Xipher gave her a surprised look. "You want me to carry this?"

"And use it." she grinned.

His eyes widened and his spikes drooped downward. "I don't know."

"Oh, come on, it's easy. Let's see, there's a spare gun somewhere." She looked around

and found an AR-15. "You just put it up to your shoulder like this and then you just aim and pull

the trigger."

Cautiously he mimicked the same position and pulled the trigger. He heard a click form

inside the gun. "Nothing happened."

"That's because there's no bullets inside." She walked back over and pulled out a belt.

"This is what you'll be using."

Xipher's mouth gaped open at the size of the bullets. "I don't think it's wise to give me a

weapon this powerful. What if I go ballistic again?"

"I know it's a risk, but think about it. Our other guns couldn't penetrate Ruunaja's armor.

This gun might be able to do it."

He took a moment to think it over, then looked into her begging eyes. He let out a sigh.

"I'll do it, but if Scott objects, then you're carrying it the rest of the way."

She smiled. "Alright."

As she prepared the gun, Xipher put his cloak back on.

"Alright, it's ready," said Sam.

Xipher picked up the weapon and held it in his arms. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah, just one sec." She strapped her new AR on and holstered her pistol.

Xipher then crouched down. "Get on."

She gave a surprised look.

"Do it before I change my mind."

Sam quickly jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. When he

walked she noticed he moved at a pace that she would have a hard time keeping up with.

There was a long silence between them. Eventually Sam couldn't hold in the urge to

ask. "Xipher?"

"Hmm?" was his acknowledgement.

"About last night, I'm sorry for bringing up such painful memories, I-"

Xipher cut her off. "No," he said sharply. "It's my fault for lashing out at you."

There was another long period of silence. "Back at Destral, Ruunaja told me you killed

your brothers. Is that true?"

Xipher stopped, but didn't bother to look at her. "It is," he replied flatly. "Happened

moments after Ruunaja killed Naromia." He then started walking again.

Sam didn't feel surprised or shocked. Instead, she placed her head along Xipher's neck.

"Okay, but why?"

Xipher looked over his shoulder and the two locked eyes with each other. He quickly

pulled his head back and looked down. "To tell you the truth, I really don't know."

The sound of a slow, yet constant pace of dripping water woke Xipher up. As he

moaned and stirred around, he heard someone announce his awakening. Whoever said it did

so with urgency and fear in his voice. When he opened his eyes, everything was blurry. As his

vision cleared, he tried to recall what had happened. He was soon able to see Saber to his

right, sitting behind steel bars. She sat curled up in a corner and whimpered. To his left,

Vaptech was in the same predicament, though he frustratingly paced back and forth.

It then occurred to him that he was already upright. His arms and legs were sore and

tired. He tried to lay down, but found it impossible as chains clanked in protest. It caught him

by surprise and he examined himself. He stood in the center of a cell, with hands and feet

pulled away from each other by the chains. There was a chain wrapped tightly around his

torso, which linked to the floor.

He then faced Vaptech and Saber. They looked at him with fear and worry in their eyes.

"What's going on?" Xipher asked in confusion. "Where are my brothers?"

Saber and Vaptech exchanged glances.

"Don't you remember?" Terun asked harshly as he stormed in.

"Brother, why are we here?" Xipher asked.

The Toa of fire pointed a finger at him. "Don't call me Brother!"

The statement was a shock to Xipher.

Terun then took a quick breath. "They're behind bars as a precaution, in case they end

up like you," he growled.

Xipher's ears pulled back. "I-I don't understand."

"Maybe this will refresh your memory." He tossed a breastplate to the ground. Piercing

the armor were long claw marks. "Remember how they all died?!"

Xipher studied it for a moment and then looked up at his brother with wide eyes. When

he spoke his voice dropped. "They're gone? All of them?"

Terun remained silent.

"What in Mata Nui's name did this to them?!"

The question seemed to infuriate his brother.

Xipher thought over it again and this time his eyes lit up with shock. "No," He shook his

head. "If this is some kind of sick joke, it's not funny!"

"This is no laughing matter," scowled Terun.

"There is no way I killed them!"

"You did; in cold blood. You sunk your fangs in them, tore off their limbs, and shredded

them to pieces!"

Xipher pulled hard against the chains. "Lies!" he roared. His eyes changed to a red hue.

"Xipher!" whimpered Saber. He shot a menacing glare at her. She hesitantly stood up

and kept her tail between her legs. "It's true. Vaptech and I saw it happen. You looked

completely different. After we defeated you, you changed back to normal. Please, please don't

change back."

Xipher's eyes reverted back to light blue as he looked at her aghast. "No, I couldn't… I-I

wouldn't!"

"It wasn't just them," she continued. "Afterward, you went after the Matoran."

The news made his legs tremble. He would've collapsed, but the chains wouldn't permit

it. "Why?" he asked, more towards himself. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"You tell me," Terun shot back. "Or better yet, you can tell the court yourself at your

trial." He then turned around and began to leave.

Xipher was shocked. "Brother, please, there has to be some reason behind this. What if

Ruunaja was controlling me?"

Terun stopped and looked over his shoulder. "One, I doubt it. Two, you're not my

brother, monster."

Xipher nearly gasped. His ears and spikes dropped and he felt his heart sink. "I'm not a

monster." he whined.

His brother didn't seem to care and walked away.

Vaptech and Saber then faced Xipher.

"How can you not remember?!" asked Saber.

Xipher stared at the ground and focused. "I remember Naromia. Ruunaja killed her! I

held her in my arms, and then-" He paused. "Nothing."

Saber faced Vaptech. "You hit him too hard."

Vaptech shrugged. "How was I supposed to know he'd get amnesia?"

"Guys!" snapped Xipher.

The two stared at him.

"This isn't helping. Right now I need to find answers." He paused at those words and

realized what he needed to do. "I have to go back to Xia."

"Xipher," said Vaptech, "In case you haven't noticed, you're chained up. Your fate is

sealed."

Xipher's eyes narrowed and he stared at the chains around him. He focused his sight to

one area of the chain before his eyes glowed red and fired a beam of heat vision. The section

of chain glowed a bright orange before melting apart.

Vaptech and Saber were in awe while Xipher stretched out his free arm. One by one the

chains were melted off, save a few links attached to the cuffs. After stretching himself he

grabbed the iron bars and pulled them apart.

Xipher then cracked a quick and cold smile. "Jail break, anyone?"

"So what happened?" asked Sam.

"We were able to sneak away to Xia. But once again we were plagued with cold leads

and dead ends. It didn't help that the inhabitants were aware of me and placed a bounty on my

head. But then, by sheer luck I ran into a very familiar Vortixx."

The Vortixx was slammed against an alley wall and gasped as she griped the hand

around her neck.

"You," Xipher spat, keeping a blade tip on her neck. "Remember me?"

She squirmed for a moment before taking a good look at her captor and gasped.

"Xipher." She then smiled. "You've changed."

"You don't know the half of it," he growled. "Change me back, now!"

She almost broke out into a laugh. "Change you back? Impossible. The only one who

could do that is the very person who made you this."

He squinted his eyes. "Who?"

"I don't know. I didn't make the weapon."

"Well, then who did?"

"I'd tell you, but she died when the fortress collapsed."

Xipher gripped her neck tighter. "I don't believe you," he snarled.

"I don't expect you to. But just know that even if you were to change back, you would

still be a monster."

Xipher's grip began to choke the Vortixx. "How dare you call me that," he hissed.

She gasped as she tried to speak. "I… Heard what… happened… your village…"

Xipher let go and watched her fall to her knees.

She rubbed her neck and looked up. "You changed into a being more powerful than you

could imagine. You became stronger, faster, better than yourself. You became Zyphor."

Xipher didn't like what he was hearing and stepped back. "No. You're wrong. I'm no

monster!"

The Vortixx stood up. "You can't deny it. Even if you changed back into a Toa, the

serum will still flow through your veins."

Xipher looked at his hands and let the words sink in. He then snapped out of it and

clutched his fist. "Not if I can help it," he growled, and then looked at the Vortixx. "You're going

to make up for what you did. You're going to find me a cure."

"Cure?" she scoffed. "You can't find a cure. It was made to be permanent."

Xipher moved a finger along the edge of his blades. "Oh, I very much doubt that. I'm

sure that if you try hard enough, you'll find something." He then grabbed her wrist. "You're

coming with me."

Suddenly, he felt a dagger touch him on the back.

"Actually, she's coming with me," said a female voice.

Xipher was frantic as he tried to figure out how he didn't sense the stranger coming. He

then growled and slowly looked over his shoulder. "And who are you supposed to be?"

"Lariska," she spat. "And if you don't want it to be the last name you ever hear, then do

as I say."

He grumbled to himself and looked back at the Vortixx, whom, to his surprise, seemed

more afraid of Lariska than him.

"Sorry," said the Vortixx "But I'm currently having some issues with the Dark Hunters."

And with that said, she broke free and went into a full sprint.

Lariska grumbled to herself and gave chase, throwing a dagger along her way. The

dagger scrapped the Vortixx by the side. She yelped and made her way around a corner. The

Hunter then stopped. Xipher ran up, swung his arm and knocked the Lariska into the wall. She

quickly recovered and faced him, only to be snatched from the neck and raised into the air.

"I need her," Xipher growled.

She responded by kicking him the face. He hollered and released her.

The Hunter then distanced herself via several back flips. "Yeah, well I have a deadline,

which is now complete."

Xipher was confused at first. The dagger only made a small scratch. His eyes then

widened in horror and he ran after the Vortixx. When he made the corner he stopped with

mouth dropped. Fifty yards away was the Vortixx, on her hands and knees, gasping for air.

Within moments she collapsed and ceased moving. He then faced Lariska.

"You killed her!" he growled. "She was my only chance!"

"Tough luck," she snapped and retrieved her dagger.

Xipher clutched his fist and his eyes glowed red. Lariska began to walk away, but soon

stopped and turned around. She watched with astonishment as he changed into a more

monstrous version of himself. He locked eyes with her and let out an earth-shattering roar.

The Hunter readied her daggers. "I guess this will be an interesting day after all.

"You went berserk again?"

"I didn't think I could do it again," snapped Xipher. He paused. "The strange thing is that

I don't remember what happened afterward. I woke up and found a large chunk of the city

demolished. Lariska was nowhere to be seen and Vortixx law enforcement were quickly

approaching.

'So I ran to our hideout. From there Saber, Vaptech and I disguised ourselves with

cloaks and slipped off the island. I gave up, that day, trying to find a cure. All I could do now

was try to cope with what I had become." He huffed. "You can see where that got me. For over

two years I tried to make up for what I did. We traveled around, offering ourselves as

protectors. But they already knew who I was and were too afraid. I sought help, but no one

was willing to do so. Eventually, I ended up here."

He then stopped and looked around. It hadn't occurred to him that they had entered a

thick cloud of fog.

"What is it?" whispered Sam.

"The fog. It never goes this far inland." He then growled, "Hold on tight," and then ran.

Saber perched herself on top of a hut near the edge of the village. With the dense fog

obscuring everything beyond twenty feet, she relied entirely on her hearing. Her ears stayed at

attention, facing multiple directions. It was clear for the moment and she looked back to the hut

housing the Humans. She had kept them up with her story longer than she thought. Within two

hours of them finally getting rest, dawn had approached. Scott had just turned in from his

watchman shift and laid the duty on her.

Her white cloak allowed her to blend perfectly with the fog, with the exception of her

eyes. She didn't mind. Rather have all senses used than just one. She then heard something

and sat herself upright. Slowly her ears tuned in.

She heard it again. A faint screech that sent chills down her spine. She immediately

jumped off and ran to the Marines. Inside, she violently shook Scott.

"Scott!" She whispered. "They're coming!"

Scott stirred around and looked at her with squinted eyes. "What?"

"Rahkshi!" she whimpered.

It took a second for him to makes sense of it before his eyes opened wide and he

jumped out of bed. "Guys, wake up!" he whispered. "Rahkshi are coming, we have to go!"

Within minutes everyone was up and scrambling to get their gear on.

Scott ran to the Turaga's hut and looked inside. Daniel was in bed and appeared stiff

and pale. Scott cupped his hands over his mouth and whispered, "Wake up! we're going!"

Daniel didn't move.

"Daniel!" he said a little louder.

Still nothing. Concerned, he slowly walked up and placed a hand on his cheek. It was

cold to the touch. Scott's face went blank. He took a step back and hung his head low before

walking back outside.

Oscar ran up. "Everyone's ready, just need Daniel."

"He's gone," Scott replied with sorrow in his voice.

The medic was shocked at first, but then became heartbroken. Just then they froze as

they heard the cries of Rahkshi getting closer.

"We have to get to the raft," ordered Scott.

"What about Sam?"

Scott replied with regret, "We can't afford to wait here any longer."

He and the Marines approached the cliff edge and prepared to repel down.

Saber immediately stopped them. "Wait, do you hear that?"

Everyone froze and listened to what sounded like wood splintering, followed by

screeches.

"They found the raft!" Scott spat in a whisper.

"What do we do now!?" asked Josh.

"There are several caves to the north," replied Saber. "We can use them for hideouts

and, if need, a last stand."

"That's fine, so long as those things don't find us." Scott then gave a hand signal for his

men to follow, while Saber led them into the forest.

*Over 17,000 years agao*

Xipher was in prison once again. This time, they took the liberty of making the links

thicker than necessary. For five days he was locked up in a dark cell with light beaming down

from above. Today he hoped to find a way out. He wasted most of the day pulling on them and

using heat vision until he finally gave up. As he panted he noticed a new scent in the room but

quickly dismissed it as a new prisoner.

"Having trouble?" said a dark and charismatic voice.

Xipher jumped. "Who's there?" He heard the stranger approach him with long strides.

"I go by many names. While my real name has been lost to history,"- The figure stepped

partially into the light- "most know me as The Shadowed One."

Xipher's eyes widened. "You're the leader of the Dark Hunters," he spat.

The Shadowed One smiled. "Smart and ferocious. I like that."

"Why are you here? And just who let you in?"

"That's not important. What matters is your future."

Xipher growled. "I'm not interested in a job."

The Dark leader nearly chuckled. "Slow down. I haven't even said anything yet. What

I'm proposing is more than a job. I'm offering you a home, a sanctuary, a place where you can

belong and have a 'destiny'."

"Thieving and murdering? Count me out," Xipher spat.

"You surprise me. I'd figure you'd have no problem since your last outburst added nine

more lives to your growing list. What's the count now, fifty-four? Seventy-eight?"

Xipher flared his teeth.

"Oh, that's right, it's now eighty two."

Suddenly Xipher roared and lashed out at the dark Hunter, only to be cut short by the

chains.

The Shadowed One didn't flinch. "Tell me, Xipher, how many more people are you

going to kill before you realize you can never go back?"

Xipher stopped and thought over it. "You know I never killed them intentionally."

"It looked intentional to me."

Xipher didn't respond back and hung his head low. The Shadowed One tilted his head

to the side and cracked a smile before he walked away and stopped near the door.

"Xipher," he said quietly. When the mutant Toa looked up he continued, "Just

remember, I can help you. With me you can become stronger, more powerful. Better than what

you are now. Think about it. I'll return the day before your sentencing." With that said, he left.

Xipher pondered over it. He now had to choose between a slim chance at escape and

obedience to a mercenary. He looked at his chains. Both chains that held his arms up had a

section that was still very hot from him using heat vision. He decided to have one more go at it

and concentrated.

Soon the links glowed orange, and then white. Xipher groaned as his eyes began to

hurt. He kept pushing on until he heard the chain fall to the ground. He roared with relief and

rubbed his eyes. To his dismay he found his vision half gone.

He then used both hands to tug on the other chain. He felt it coming loose and pulled

harder. With a quick yell, he pulled the chain right out of the stone. It crashed to the floor,

leaving an echo to travel through the cell. He focused and used his heat vision to cut the chain

off closer to his hand.

When done, he was nearly blind and his eyes were completely sore. He slowly walked

around, using his sense of hearing and smell to guide him. To his surprise and relief, he had

some sense of echolocation, but it wasn't enough to make clear images. He felt his way to a

corner and laid down. Escape would have to come later.


	17. Redemption

M.I.A. Ch 17

After moaning and shuffling around in bed, Daniel slowly opened his eyes. The air

around was frigid cold and he could see his breath. He felt a dull pain on his amputated leg as

he sat himself up. After yawning he rubbed his eyes.

"How long have I been out?" He looked around and noticed the house was void of

everything except his backpack. "Guys?"

A sharp screech came from outside. The sound nearly made him jump off his bed. He

scrambled to his pack and pulled out his handgun. He then crawled, dragging his pack along,

and pressed himself along the wall by the doorway. Patiently he waited and listened. A low

hum filled the air. It grew to the point that he heard it pass over. Then it stopped and was

followed by footsteps.

Against his fear, he slowly looked around to take a peek. Five feet in front of him,

standing in contrast with the thick fog, he saw the legs of three Rahkshi. He immediately jerked

himself back and held his gun close. His breathing and heart rate elevated. The Rahkshi

began to walk around, letting out several chirps and clicks. Judging by the amount of

communicating, he could make out two more individuals. He heard one approach his hiding

spot. It placed a hand on the doorway and peered inside.

Daniel could see the front tip of its head sticking through as it took in whiffs of air. He

held his breath and heard his heart racing. It soon pulled its head back and walked away

before letting out a screech. Daniel let out a sigh of relief and lowered his gun. Then he heard

another Rahkshi screech from what he guested was the other side of the house.

All of the sudden the whole half of the hut cracked and fell apart. On the other side of

the rubble stood a Guurahk. Panicked, Daniel shot it in the face four times. As it shrieked and

collapsed, he scrambled out through the door and into the open. When outside he fumbled and

landed flat on the ground. When he rolled himself over, a magenta-colored Rahkshi was

looking over him. He fired two shots and killed it. The body began to fall towards him and he

rolled out of the way.

"Scott!" he yelled.

More Rahkshi were coming. Daniel made an awkward attempt at crab walking his way

backwards. When his back hit the outside of a hut he used it to help himself stand. Once up he

looked around.

"Scott, Sam, anyone!" To his concern and horror his comrades were nowhere to be

seen. He then cried out to the top of his lungs. "Scott!"

"Did you hear that?" asked Oscar.

Everyone stopped and listened. Gunshots rang out, accompanied with the screeches or

Rahkshi and a cry.

"That sounds like Daniel." Saber gasped.

Everyone was shocked.

Oscar faced Scott and marched up to him. "You said he was dead."

Scott was flabbergasted. "I-I thought he was. He was stiff, and his face was cold and

pale."

"But did you check his pulse?"

Scott stared with mouth partially open. "No," he replied softly.

Oscar face palmed. "We have to go back for him."

Scott shook his head. "No, you all keep going. I'll go get him."

"You're crazy," said Saber. "What if you get captured too?"

Scott was silent for a moment. "Then carry on." He then turned around and ran off.

A Rahkshi of plant control came up around the hut and startled Daniel. He balanced

himself as he hopped around the other side. A root arched out of the ground and tripped the

Marine. Daniel yelped and flailed his arms before falling to the ground and landing flat on his

stomach. He moaned and got on his hands and knee. He then looked around and found his

gun several feet away.

He crawled towards it in a clumsily manner. Another root arched up and tripped him

again. This time the gun was within arm's reach. Daniel extended his arm out and almost got

hold of it when he froze. He didn't stop intentionally; he wasn't even aware what was going on,

let alone could he think.

Behind him, a blue Rahkshi with black limbs approached, spikes and staff glowing. The

Rahkshi of stasis looked down at his catch and screeched in victory. Seconds later, Makuta

Ruunaja emerged from the fog. The three Rahkshi stepped back and made way as their

master came up to the Human and examined the find.

"Well done my sons," he smiled. He then took away the gun and crushed it between his

fingertips. The Rahkshi cut off its power and Daniel lunged forward. He thought he had the gun

in his grasp and was surprised that he only grasped air. He was confused at first, but then

looked up and looked straight into Ruunaja's smiling mask.

He let out a quick scream and got on his hands and knee before launching himself

backwards and trying to crabwalk away. Ruunaja laughed. The Rahkshi of plant control

ordered nearby vines and roots, which began to snare the Marine. In seconds Daniel had his

arms wrapped tightly around his waist and chest. He struggled furiously to get out.

"So, what do we have here?" asked Ruunaja. He forced Daniel to face him and locked

eyes. "A poor little Human all alone. What's your name?"

Daniel was still in shock, but quickly shook his head and tried to speak. "D-d-Daniel!"

"Well, Daniel, where are your friends?"

Daniel looked around. "I-I don't know." He shuffled around to find a better position to sit.

Ruunaja then noticed his amputated leg. "Ah, I see what's going on."

"What?"

"You're a sacrificial lamb."

Daniel was flabbergasted. "What?! No! They would never leave me behind."

"Then explain the leg."

The question left Daniel silent for a moment. "It was too badly damaged to fix. They had

to do it."

"Pft, that's what they wanted you to think. Face it, they cut off your leg because you

were the weakest. They wanted you to keep my sons busy while they fled to safety."

Daniel shook his head. "No, that's not true!"

"So where are they then?"

He slumped his head down and muttered. "I don't know."

"Figures. I know, how about you tell me where they are and I'll see to it you get

vengeance."

Daniel couldn't figure out why, but the offer was somewhat tempting, if what he said was

true. From the corner of his eye he saw movement. It was Scott, sneaking around a hut and

hiding. Now he knew he wasn't alone. He just had to make sure Ruunaja didn't know.

"No, I won't let you torture them. Not after what you did to Mike."

Ruunaja tilted his head to the side, and his smile vanished. "Alright then, if you won't tell

me willingly, I'll make you talk."

Daniel then felt a sharp pain in his head and screamed. It felt like hundreds of little

needles were trying to drill themselves into his mind, as memories were forced open. Ruunaja

peered through everything from his childhood to his education and combat training.

Scott saw what was happening and decided to strike. He slowly came out of hiding and

aimed at the Makuta's head. Both the Makuta and Rahkshi had their backs turned to him. For

him, it was an easy kill. He pulled the trigger and three shots fired. They hit their target,

puncturing holes into Ruunaja's skull. As the Makuta yelled and placed a hand over his head,

the Rahkshi spun around. Scott immediately fired at them and killed the Rahkshi of stasis.

The Rahkshi of plant life triggered its power and several roots sprung out of the ground.

Scott looked down and saw them encroach towards him. He climbed to the top of a hut and

fired at the Rahkshi of plant life. Only one Rahkshi remained, but Scott noticed that Ruunaja

wasn't dead. A closer look revealed the holes on the back of his head weren't holes at all, but

the copper bullets fused into the metal.

The Rahkshi of lightning shot a bolt from its staff. Scott dodged by jumping to the roof of

another hut. It fired again and he jumped. In the middle of his jump he realized something

wasn't right, as gravity seemed to turn off and he kept soaring. He flailed his arms and found

himself rolling in a flip as he floated around. Daniel watched with astonishment.

A vine came to life and caught Scott by the wrist. The Marine found himself as a living

balloon, hanging upside down. Ruunaja stood up and approached him, meeting him at

eyelevel.

"So, you're Scott, leader of the Humans. Did you really think your little toy could stop

me?"

Scott wasn't sure how to reply. "Yes?"

"Hmph- Well, you certainly aren't that bright," Ruunaja mocked. "So, why don't you tell

me where you sent your men?"

"You might as well kill me, because I'll never tell." Scott spat.

Ruunaja chuckled. "Oh no, I don't kill my enemies. I play with them. I get a kick out of

making their lives miserable. And when I'm bored or no longer need them, I make sure to kill

them nice and slow."

Scott had a look of disgust on his face.

"And seeing that Daniel is of value to you," He squeezed his hand in front of Scott. The

vines around Daniel tightened and he began to yell. It soon turned into gasps as the air was

being squeezed out of his lungs.

"Stop it!" ordered Scott. "Leave him alone!"

"Tell me where they're hiding."

Scott's thoughts raced. Daniel's face was changing color. He had to do something and

fast.

"Alright, I'll tell you. Just please, stop." Ruunaja put his hand down and Daniel took a big

gasp of air.

"They- they're back in the Osprey, up along the mountains over there." He pointed in the

direction, despite the fog being so thick.

Ruunaja had a pleased look. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" He then grabbed

the vine and pulled Scott close to his face. "But just in case you're lying, I'm going to keep you

floating around until I come back. If no one is there, then I'm going to break the link that keeps

you afloat and you'll fall to your death. understand?"

Scott quickly nodded.

"Good." He then cut the vine and let him go, giving a light wave as the Marine began to

float upwards.

"Scott!" cried out Daniel.

Scott panicked and flailed his arms while he spun around wildly. He looked over his

shoulder and saw everything below move farther away. Thinking quickly, he readied his gun.

When his back faced the ground, he fired. The shot rang out and the recoil sent him spinning

towards the ground. His back hit a hut and as he redounded back up, he twisted his body and

grabbed hold of the vegetation that covered it.

Ruunaja was amused. "Clever, but you should really get going."

Scott was once again upside down, with his back facing Ruunaja. He brought his head

up to see and looked nervously at the Makuta. He then heard something and brought his head

back. From his angle he could only make out a dark figure run up and jump right pass him. As

it cleared the house in a single bound, he heard loud and powerful booms. He flinched and

covered his ears, but then realized he had let go.

Without warning he dropped to the ground like lead and tumbled down the side of the

hut. He moaned and looked up to see Ruunaja stumbling back, followed by Xipher firing a few

rounds from a fifty-caliber machine gun.

Scott was almost speechless. "How in the world-"

Sam ran up and knelt next to him. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he groaned. He then pulled out a knife. "Free Daniel."

She took the knife and ran, only to be cut off by the Rahkshi of lightning. It screeched

and raised its staff in the air. Xipher spun around and fired a bullet. It penetrated the side of the

Rahkshi's back and blew out the other side. The Rahkshi dropped and Sam ran around it and

reached Daniel. As she began cutting, Xipher fired the whole magazine belt at Ruunaja.

Each hit knocked the Makuta back until he was within feet of the cliff edge. To Xipher's

disbelief, the massive bullets only created large, baseball-sized dents in the armor. He then

flipped the gun and grabbed the barrel end. He was going to swing it like a bat, but realized it

was hot. He yelped and let go mid-swing. The gun flew across the air and whacked Ruunaja in

the face before falling over the cliff. It didn't knock him off, but he did get down on one knee as

he covered his mask.

As Ruunaja recovered, Xipher drew his blades and ran at him. When the Makuta got up,

Xipher jabbed his chest. To both of their surprise, the blades punctured the armor. Xipher

placed a hand on Ruunaja's chest and pulled the blades out while pushing Ruunaja back. The

blades popped out and, with no anchor, Ruunaja fell off the cliff, leaving behind a faint trail of

anitdermis. Xipher paused and watched the black and green substance dissipate.

He then brought his attention back to the Marines. Sam was slowly sawing through the

roots, while Scott was still reviving from his fall. He paced over and gently pushed her aside

before readying his blades. Daniel closed his eyes and looked away as Xipher made one quick

swipe. The roots were sliced into several pieces, while Daniel was scratch-free.

"Thanks." said Daniel.

Xipher gave a blank stare. "What?!" He put a finger inside his ear. "I can't hear anything

right now!"

Sam almost smirked. She knelt down and, with gestures, asked Xipher to carry Daniel.

He compiled and picked him up.

Scott walked over, sore, and led the way into the forest. After several minutes Xipher

regained his hearing.

"Where did everyone go?" he asked.

"Saber is leading them deep into the forest." Scott replied.

"So why then were you two still at the village?"

Scott stopped. He was hesitant to answer. "I- I misdiagnosed Daniel." He looked to the

ground in shame. "I thought he was dead."

Xipher growled. "You left him behind, didn't you?!"

Scott spun around and shrugged. "It was a mistake. His body was cold and he wasn't

responsive."

Xipher wasn't buying it. His spikes rattled. "He could've been killed!"

"Enough!"

Everyone looked at Daniel. "It's alright, Xipher. It was a mistake. Can we please just

keep going? I want to get off this island."

Xipher stared at him before continuing on. With his sense of smell he followed Saber's

scent back to their group.

"Xipher!" Saber cheered and ran out of the cave. "Mata Nui, you're alright."

Xipher exchanged a weak smile and walked past her. When he entered the cave, he

was greeted with a mix of shock and relief from the Marines. The Matoran, however, where at

a distance and kept their eyes on him. He laid Daniel against the wall and took a step back

while Oscar examined him.

"So what happened back there?" asked Josh. "We heard a lot of gun fire."

"Rahkshi." Xipher spat. "Alongside Ruunaja."

Josh looked at Daniel. "You actually faced Ruunaja?"

He shrugged. "More like ensnared by him. You should've seen what happened. He was

able to control the plants around him, he dug through my thoughts and memories, and even

turned off gravity and almost made Scott float away!"

"That's only the beginning." said Xipher. "Makuta have several dozen powers. And

judging by the rumors and stories I've heard, Ruunaja isn't dead, just out of the fight for now."

"How?" said Scott, "You just bombarded him with a fifty-cal and stabbed him. How could

he not be dead?"

"Because they're not like us. Their essence is made out of some kind of energy. You

can't stab and shoot energy." He then took off a pack. "Speaking of which, Sam and I have

theses for you." He dropped the bag and magazine clips spilled out.

Josh and some of the marines smiled and began reloading their guns. "So what's the

plan now?" asked Josh.

"We go back, retrieve the raft, and leave," stated Xipher.

"We can't." said Scott. "They destroyed it."

Sam and Xipher were shocked. Xipher then growled. "So, not only did you leave a

brother behind, you failed to secure our escape?!'

Scott stood his ground. "Hey! At least I didn't go crazy and kill him like you would've."

Xipher roared.

"Enough!" shouted Sam.

The two stopped and stared at her.

"This won't help us. We'll just build another; just tie up a bunch of logs."

They were both silent. Then Xipher stepped away. "Vey well," he spat. "Lets get

moving."

"Hold on," snapped Scott "We need to rest."

"We don't have time for rest. There are Rahkshi out there."

"Xipher." Saber said softly. "Please, they need it. Just look at them."

Xipher examined the Marines. Nearly all of them were sitting against the wall with their

heads slumped. Dark circles wrapped under their eyes.

"They've been up for three days now and have hardly gotten any sleep." said Saber.

Xipher paused and then grumbled. "A few hours, but then we're moving."

"Where exactly?" asked Scott.

"To the north. There are several hiding places and it's your best chance of finding

Vaptech." He then began to leave the cave.

Sam followed. "Wait."

He stopped and looked at her.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from everyone." he mumbled.

"You can't just leave. we need you."

He kept his voice down. "No, you don't. I'm as much of a threat as Ruunaja."

"You're wrong!"

The sudden outburst surprised Xipher and got everyone's attention. She then brought

her voice down so only Xipher could hear. "Ruunaja knows how to bring 'Zyphor' out. Your

next solo encounter with him increases the chance he'll succeed."

"So what do you propose I do?" he growled.

"Stay with us."

Scott heard it and jumped to his feet. "Woah, I don't think that's a good idea."

Sam looked over Xipher. "And why is that?"

"He's a danger and never told us until it was too late."

"But he saved you and Daniel didn't he? In fact, he saved me last night from Nui Jaga

venom. He's more hero than monster."

The statement surprised Xipher and almost made him blush.

"Well, then I say we vote on it." said Daniel.

Scott paused a moment. "Agreed." He then faced his men. "All opposed to having

Xipher around, raise your hand." He kept his hand in the air.

At first no one did, but slowly Josh, two other Marines and the Matoran raised their

hands. "All in favor." Slowly the rest of the group brought their hands up. Xipher was

speechless.

Scott brought his head down. "He stays."

*17,008 Years ago*

With his vision finally clear, Xipher used his strength and ripped the door open. A Toa of

sonic saw it happen and alerted the whole prison. Xipher sprinted away. Several turrets and

guns emerged out of the walls and began to fire a barrage of Kanoka disk and Zamor Spheres

at him. He took the shield away from an approaching Toa and used it to deflect the volley of

projectiles. Another Toa created a thick wall of ice, which he found useless as Xipher melted a

hole through with heat vision.

He made it through a doorway and ran up a spiral staircase. He could hear guards

marching down towards him. Ahead of him was a window just large enough for him to squeeze

through. It had four steel bars running vertical. For Xipher it was no problem as he yanked

each one out with a quick pull.

When the Toa arrived, he slipped through the window and sunk his claws into the wall.

Like a cat, he climbed around and down the tower. Nearly thirty feet up, he jumped and landed

on the ground. Xipher then sprinted away into the forest. It wasn't until he was several miles

away that he looked back.

This was his fifth escape and he wondered just how many more he would have to do

before he ever found a way to control what he was becoming.

*Three weeks later*

Xipher and Vaptech curled up as they lay near a fire, while Saber perched herself on a

branch. The sun shone through the forest canopy. It would be very relaxing for Xipher, except

there were chattering birds. The birds conversations soon stopped and Xipher felt ready to

close his eyes and relax. But then it occurred to him that they don't stop unless there's trouble.

"Xipher." whimpered Saber.

He looked up and saw six Toa along a ridge. They each had gold and silver armor and

carried a spear and a shield. He and Vaptech jumped to their feet.

Xipher growled at them. "Leave me alone!"

"Relax," said the Toa of fire. "We're not here to arrest you. We just want to talk."

"There's nothing to talk about." Xipher snarled.

"On the contrary." said the Toa of water. "You have an interesting record, Xipher."

He looked at her with concern. "If you're with the Dark Hunters, the answer is no."

The Toa of water chuckled softly and approached him. "No. We are the Toa Haga.

We've heard about your story and the reputation you've built over the last decade."

"Great," Xipher rolled his eyes. "I have fans."

"Not quite," said the Toa of fire.

He and the others came up and stood within feet of Xipher.

"We were asked by several Turaga and leaders to capture you."

Xipher eyes narrowed.

The Toa brought a hand up. "But, we saw things differently and persuaded them to

delay your warrant."

Xipher tilted his head to the side. "Why?"

The Toa of water spoke. "You were once a Toa. You want to be a Toa again, don't

you?"

Xipher's spikes went down. "You have no idea."

"What we're offering is a chance at redemption." said the Toa of fire.

Xipher was so surprised that he took a step back. "Redemption?" he almost laughed.

"It's too late for redemption. How could I possibly make up for the lives I've taken?"

The Toa of fire folded his arms. "By letting us help you."

Xipher was skeptical. "I've spent years searching for help and everyone refused to give

it to me. Why should I take your offer?"

The Toa of fire replied firmly. "Because everyone deserves a chance."

Xipher paused, while Saber and Vaptech looked nervously at him.

The Toa spoke again. "We'll give you time to think. But just know that even if you reject

our offer, we'll leave you be. However, we won't get in the way of anyone sent out for your

arrest. You'll spend the rest of your life fleeing from your brothers. If that's what you want, then

you're free to do so." He and the other Toa turned around and left.

Xipher didn't keep his eyes off them until they were well out of sight.

"Well?" asked Vaptech.

"Well what?" Xipher replied coldly.

"Join them."

He looked at Vaptech with surprise. "What?"

"You heard me. This is your chance to be a Toa again."

Xipher huffed. "Oh please, like I could ever be a Toa again."

Vaptech tilted his head to the right and raised an eyebrow. "So you're accepting the title

of monster." he smiled.

Xipher's ears pulled back. "No," he rushed.

"Well, then what are you? A Toa or a Monster?"


	18. The need for Freedom

M.I.A. Ch 18

*17,008 years ago*

Xipher, Saber, and Vaptech panted as they emerged from the forest and

followed Iruni to the now evacuated village, while Kualus went to report their

progress to Norik on the beach. All day they had chased and fought off large and

dangerous Rahi alongside the two Toa. However, the Toa did very little to help.

The Toa's defense was that they were supposed to evaluate their performance,

but mostly Xipher's, to which they were very pleased.

The mutants watched as the last boats carried evacuees towards a ship

off shore. Boomonga assisted by growing into a three hundred foot giant and

carried Matoran over.

"So," said Xipher "How long do you think it'll be before we can make it safe

for the Matoran to return?"

Iruni had his back turned and didn't answer.

"Iruni?"

The Toa of air turned around with a long and serious look on his face. "Not

for a long-long time."

"What do you mean?" asked Saber.

"Even if we locked up all the dangerous Rahi here, there would be one

that would constantly… escape, and we can't have that. So now we part ways."

Xipher snarled. "Wait a darn minute here! You said I was given a second

chance!"

Iruni leaned against his spear. "Last I've checked, you had several in your

life, and you blew them all. So instead of dragging you to prison, we made one

you'd willing put yourself in and refuse to leave."

Xipher was almost speechless. "You tricked me!"

Iruni then looked at the ship. His mask glowed and in an instant he

vanished. The three mutants were startled and looked around for him. Then

Xipher noticed the last boat leaving the island, with the four remaining Toa

onboard.

Xipher shook his head in disbelief and held himself tightly. "No, no, this

can't be happening." he cried.

He staggered a few steps and fell onto his knees in front of a hut. As he

hung his head low, Saber and Vaptech approached him.

Saber placed a hand on his shoulder. "Xipher, don't be hard on yourself."

"I should've known." he replied. "Kualus was being strange. Every time his

mask glowed, more Rahi came." Xipher then began to stand up, using the hut for

support. He still kept his head down.

"This is my fault," said Vaptech. "I talked you into this."

"No," Xipher replied coldly. "It's not your fault." His hands formed into fist

and he let out a snarl. "It's theirs!" He then swiped the hut, making a large claw

mark along its side. "They lied to us!"

Saber and Vaptech jumped back in surprise. Xipher cringed his teeth and

snorted heavy breaths. He then groaned.

"Xipher," cried Saber "Please, calm down. You're changing!"

Xipher spun around and stared at her with red, enraged-filled eyes. "I don't

care!" he roared, his voice almost demonic.

Saber gasped and cowered.

Vaptech grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away. "Just run." he

pleaded.

The two ran into the forest. Several seconds later they heard Xipher's loud

roar and ran faster.

The air was still and the forest silent as Xipher lead the Marines north. No

one spoke a word while they kept an ear out for Rahkshi. Thick fog surrounded

them until they reached higher elevation. After taking a short rest, Saber handed

Daniel over to Xipher, who carried him on his back.

With visibility improved, Daniel felt safe speaking up.

"Xipher,"

"Hm?" He didn't bother looking at him.

"I've been thinking…. If you were a Toa who mutated into this, why didn't

you have Deskera change you back?"

Xipher's eyes widened, but he didn't reply.

"Good question." Scott added.

The remark made Xipher stop. Everyone else stopped and stared at him

as he kept his head low and huffed. He then turned his head slightly towards

them.

"It's because I didn't want to explain the whole Toa-turned-Monster story. I

figured I could keep it secret until we parted ways and then go after her. You can

see how badly that backfired." He then started walking again.

"Wait a minute," Scott hurried himself and walked alongside Xipher. "You

mean to tell me that you put our lives in danger because you were afraid of being

judged?"

Xipher almost cringed. "I wasn't afraid of being judged." he snapped, but

then paused and hesitated. "I-I'm afraid of rejection," he said softly. "Of being

feared, of being despised… of being abandoned again."

Scott was astonished. The Marines and Matoran passed by him and took

a quick glance at his expression. It wasn't until Sam came up from the back of

the line and nudged him that he snapped out of it.

It was quiet within the group again until sunset. By then they had found an

open area along the edge of a plateau that stood over a thousand feet. From

their vantage point they could see the whole ocean a few miles out. To the

southeast they saw Destral, which revealed to be far larger than they thought.

Makeshift shelters were built, but no fire was lit. Three large logs were

gathered and were used as seats. Everyone ate what wild fruits they found and

talked amongst each other.

Xipher, however, sat along the edge of the cliff and stared at the first stars

of the night. His ears picked up the soft sound of footsteps approaching. He

looked over and found it was Sam.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

He looked away and stared into the sky. Sam then sat next to him and

dangled her legs over the cliff.

"It sure is a beautiful night." She put on a smile.

"I guess." he replied flatly.

She leaned back and rested her weight on her hands. "So, you decided to

stay with us after all."

"So?"

"You care about us, don't you?"

Xipher slowly looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"Admit it, you care about our well-being."

"No." he spat.

"Your actions tell me otherwise."

"I killed Mike, remember?"

"I know. But I think I figured it out."

"Figured what out?"

"That part of you, Zyphor, is a product of rage and grief you've had

suppressed for so many years being released in an outburst. If you want to stop

it once and for all, you have to let go of your anger. The emotional burden you've

carried with you for so long needs to come off. You have to forgive yourself."

Xipher paused over it before slumping his head down and looking away.

"That's easier said than done." he said softly.

Sam let out a soft sigh of defeat and looked away. The two were silent for

several minutes. Then Xipher spoke.

"Sam… You've learned a lot about me these last few days. More than I felt

comfortable sharing." He looked over "What about you? How did you end up

where you are now? Other than the obvious."

She was surprised by the question, but answered anyway. "Well, it started

back over ten years ago. I was very young, had no understanding of the world

around me. I was at school, on a clear, sunny morning when it happened.

'A plane rammed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. We

thought it was an accident, but then a second plane flew into the south tower. It

was an attack carried out by terrorist. They hijacked two other planes. One hit the

pentagon, a military command center. Passengers on board the last plane

stopped the hijackers. However, their heroism cost them their lives as the plane

flew straight into the ground."

She paused for a moment. "The towers couldn't hold up to the damage

and both collapsed, killing everyone inside, including my brother."

Xipher was speechless for a moment. "I'm so sorry."

"It's alright." She tried not to choke. "Over three thousand died that

morning; Men, women, children, even the policemen and firemen who went into

the buildings to save them.

'The loss of my brother took a heavy toll on me. For years I felt broken,

angry, confused. I wanted to join the military to get vengeance…. But as I got

older I realized revenge wasn't the right path. I still joined, but, instead, to protect

my home."

She was quiet again, but soon pulled a bar out of her pocket. "Chocolate?

I was saving it for when we got off the island."

He shrugged. "Sure." He absorbed the bar through his mouth and savored

the flavor.

Sam ate her piece. As she chewed, she noticed an odd sound and slowly

looked at him. "Are you… purring?"

Xipher's eyes widened; the dark hid his blushing face. "No?"

She raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Xipher then cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go on patrol,

and you need to get some rest. I expect everyone to move twice as fast

tomorrow." He stood up and walked into the forest.

There was no real threat of Rahkshi; he would've sensed them by now.

What he really wanted was time alone to think. It puzzled him that regardless of

the terrible deeds he had done, Sam still believed in him. She was almost like

Naromia. She listened to him, comforted and stood up for him.

He felt as if they were meant to be together, as though it was destiny. He

stopped and his eyes widened.

"You've got to be kidding me," he growled and faced the sky. "Mata Nui, is

this really my destiny? All of this; the mutation, the murders, the exile! Was it all

so that I could save a few Humans!?"

He heard a rustle and spun around. Saber flinched before straightening

herself up.

"What are you doing here?" he barked.

"I wanted to make sure everything was alright," she said softly. "I

overheard your conversation with Sam." She then put herself within a few feet of

him. "Part of me wonders if Mata Nui didn't send you here for them, but rather

sent them here for you."

Xipher scoffed. "That's what I thought about the Toa Haga."

"Hear me out on this. First, you didn't want anything to do with them, and

then our lives and fates became intertwined. Your relationship with them might

be a little broken right now, but they've restored something in your life the Toa

Haga didn't."

"And what's that?" he asked with skepticism.

"A 'family'."

Xipher was blown back. He then brought his head down.

Saber put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't need to say anything. But I

would think it over if I were you." She turned around and walked away, only to

stop for a moment. "By the way, you should purr more often."

Xipher's face lit with embarrassment. "I wasn't purring!"

Xipher was perched along the cliff edge. The sun began to rise, revealing

the fog's absence down below. He had spent much of the night pondering over

several matters. If they were able to get off the island, then it would only be a

matter of time before he was interacting with the Matoran again. He worried he

and the Marines would be cast out.

What scared him most was the possibility of becoming Zyphor again. He

shook his head. "Sam's right, I have to let go, but how?" he thought. Taking her

advice wasn't possible. He could never forgive himself for what he'd done.

After contemplating, he concluded that the first step was acceptance. He

took off his cloak and gazed over it. The worn-out fabric swayed gently in the

breeze. He stood up and slowly held it over the edge.

For several minutes he stared at it, his arm and hand stiff. He then took in

a deep breath and let it go. The cloak rocked back and forth as it gently fell to the

earth below. Xipher then looked at himself. From now on, he would no longer be

able to hide himself. He didn't plan to.

A strong breeze then blew over, bringing cool, crisp air and carried with it

a scent that grabbed Xipher's attention. To the north, a small speck was off

shore. When he realized what it was, he immediately ran to Saber and shook

her.

"Saber, get up."

She stirred around. "What is it?"

"There's a ship."

She was still for a moment before rousing up. "Is it Makuta?"

"No. It's something else."

"Can you make out what's onboard?"

"No, but I know for certain there's no Makuta." He then ran over to Scott

and shook him.

"What?" Scott moaned.

"Get up, we're going."

Scott slowly sat up. "Rahkshi?"

Xipher shook his head. "Rescue."

As Saber got everyone else up, Scott and Xipher watched the ship from

the edge.

"What do you make of it?" asked Scott as he folded his arms.

"It could be anyone. Matoran, Deskera, Dark Hunters. All I can tell you is

that it isn't Makuta."

"Then we need to get to them before the Rahkshi do."

Xipher nodded. He then turned around. "Saber, escort them off the cliff.

Scott and I are going ahead to meet these strangers."

Scott looked at him with surprise.

Xipher then bent down and folded his spikes. "Get on."

Scott was hesitant, but climbed onto his back and wrapped his arms

around the mutant's neck.

"Hold on tight."

"Why?"

Xipher took a few steps towards the Marines and then turned around and

faced the cliff. Scott's eyes widened.

"Oh, no, no, no! You can't be serious!"

"Just trust me on this." replied Xipher.

"I don't trust you at all!" He then screamed as Xipher ran and jumped.

Xipher drew out his blades and dug them into the cliff face, slowing their

fall. When he was close enough to the canopy, he jumped away and landed on a

branch. It snapped and he immediately grabbed another. He hopped across

several branches until he was safely on the ground. After looking up at the cliff,

Xipher then looked at Scott, who was stiff and breathed heavily. He could hear

his heart beating hard and rapidly.

Taking quick gasps of air, Scott spoke. "Don't. Do that. Again!"

Xipher couldn't help but show off a sheepish grin. "You know, I've only

done that once before, with a cliff one tenth the height."

"Are we close?" asked Scott.

Xipher whiffed the air. "Yeah." He took several more whiffs and kept

walking.

"Hey," Scott said hesitantly. "About the last few days."

"I know." replied Xipher. "I should've been honest with you from the

beginning."

"It's not that. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

Xipher stopped in surprise.

"I didn't know you had a hard past. Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I

would be hesitant to tell anyone as well."

Xipher wasn't sure what to say. Suddenly his ears picked up something

and he immediately faced its source.

"What is it?" whispered Scott. He readjusted himself.

"They're really close." Xipher took a few more whiffs of air.

He made out two scents, one of which was very familiar. He stopped and

crouched down. Scott slid off his back and readied his gun. Xipher then jumped

into the branches.

"What are you doing?" Scott whispered.

"Getting a better view. We'll approach from different angles. You go first."

"Me? Why me?"

"Cause you don't look as intimidating." Xipher snapped back.

Scott rolled his eyes and started walking. After passing through dense

vegetation, he stopped and saw two figures sitting on a log with their backs

turned against him. His mouth gaped opened and he almost dropped his gun.

"Xipher," he whispered, "They're just kids."

Xipher landed on a lower branch and was equally surprised. "Humans?

Impossible." He then began to growl.

"Easy there." hushed Scott. "Let me handle this. I can tell if they're real or

not." He then took a deep breath, straightened up his helmet and then

approached them.

When Xipher awoke, he found himself in the middle of a torn-out forest. As

far as he could see there were uprooted trees, trees that were splintered, and

others charred. He was confused at first, but then quickly realized what had

happened. He frantically got to his feet and looked around.

"Vaptech! Saber!" The fear in his voice echoed through the area. For

several seconds he got no reply.

"Saber! Vaptech!" He then howled. The sound carried itself for miles. He

still got no reply. He shook his head. "No, no, no! Not them too!"

He then ran. He had no idea where he was going; he just wanted to get

away from the destruction. Within an hour, he was tired. He stopped along a

large creek and rested. His image reflected off the water as it trickled down. He

stared at his reflection for along time before looking away in shame.

The sound of disturbed vegetation came from behind. Xipher spun around

and saw Saber and Vaptech. He immediately jumped to his feet.

"By the Great Spirit, you're alright!"

Saber and Vaptech didn't have the same look of relief as he did. Xipher

understood and took a step back.

"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

Vaptech brought a hand up and cut him off. "We know. You were just

upset."

"We should've stopped you." whimpered Saber. "You were on a rampage

for over a day."

Xipher was aghast. "What?" Most of his violet outburst lasted a few

minutes, but a whole day was unheard of.

Saber's spikes went down. "You must of tired out and collapsed."

Xipher's mouth gapped and his eyes darted around as he tried to

comprehend it all.

"Xipher," said Saber.

He looked at her, his mouth still gaping.

"Are you alright?"

Slowly he shook his head. "No, I'm not." He turned around. "I have to

stay."

Saber and Vaptech lit up with surprise.

"What? No." Vaptech put himself in Xipher's way. "You have to keep

searching for a cure."

"Don't you get it?!" Xipher barked. "There is no cure! There never will be!"

he took a moment to calm himself. "Besides, if no one is around to stop me, then

there's no telling how many innocent people I'll hurt."

"But we can't stay here forever." whimpered Saber.

"We won't." replied Xipher. "We'll just wait until I can control this… other

part of me."

"And If you don't?" asked Vaptech.

Xipher was silent. "I don't know." he muttered and then walked off. He

didn't plan on staying here forever. But he knew it would a long time before he

could control himself. So he shifted his thoughts on the positive side of things.

Chances were that the Toa Haga were the only ones who knew of his

location, which means no more Dark Hunters, no more Toa trying to arrest him.

He would be alone and unable to hurt any more people. But still, he wanted to

get off the island. Prison was bad enough, but isolation was worse.

But with so many after him, he would have to wait. With enough time

passed, people would forget him and he'd just be a legend. And when he

escaped, he hoped he would be the hero he was meant to be.


End file.
